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 Shops are open, and its people are withdrawn but superficially friendly when meeting strangers.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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[ now that he has nothing but time to process everything that happened, it's slowly dawning on him that silco, along with the others, came to his rescue. they could have easily left him to pay the price of his mistakes on his own, but the fact that they even fought the innocence entity on top of it. it sounds like he owes a few others some words of gratitude. this also means that he owes silco again, which would have aggravated him beforehand, but now...

it's a complicated feeling that rises up, one that's pretty difficult to explain. maybe it's for the best that he can't exactly put a name to what it is or else he might spend the entire day ruminating over it.

if nothing else, it brings about the same sense of relief that he experienced not too long before he passed out. ]

... That does sound like a problem.

[ what kind of being are they dealing with? they don't even know the full scope of the consequences, but it all sounds bad either way. ]

I don't believe we can rely on the Regent forever. [ especially not when it's to fix what he'd accidentally caused, by being so careless. ] Taking out the root cause is probably a better way to spend our time.

[ that's what he should have done before estinien managed to steal his shard. if only he didn't wait until the last possible moment to try... then maybe none of this would have happened. ]

[ It's difficult to describe what the Innocent did, when he cannot really figure it out himself. It appeared again, certainly. It existed, it spoke, lots of dramatic phrasing, a lot about the Regent's supposed taint, or that they were given the choice but chose unwisely.

Silco didn't see it like that of course. Choosing unwisely, as if there was a choice, between continuing a world as sick as his own? Of course he wouldn't. It wasn't a choice at all. The Innocent had tried to insult them, as if they would be offended by their proclamation. ]

I think the Regent will be our best bet, for taking it out, actually.

[ There's none of the... blind adulation, that some show for the Regent. Silco is pragmatic, and while his one eye blinked, the other remained open, staring forward, not even at Kaeya's face. ] I don't think we can take care of it. Not without sufficient growth, or power.

You are correct, however, we must take care of that thing. It will continue to come up again, and again, unless it is Dealt With, appropriately.

I don't think any of us anticipated it coming out. [ A soft, wry chuckle. ]

I think that was my fault.

[ kaeya knows that silco is right.

it was barely an even match against estinien, so what can he even do if he's faced with the entity itself? he lacks the power, the strength, and more importantly, the conviction to take that being down. isn't that one of the reasons why he failed when he fought the dragoon? it's becoming more apparent just how much was lacking in his own resolve, so the outcome doesn't really surprise him. not anymore.

at this point, he hasn't taken a sip of his drink. he can only sigh quietly. ]

Then, if the Regent is able to lend us a hand...

[ it's probably for the best if their excellency is the one to handle the innocence, if the rest of them were truly so incapable. he likely would have remained silent after saying so but when silco implies that none of them had anticipated the entity to come out, he begins to shake his head slowly. ]

I wanted to see if I could draw it out somehow, [ but as far as how he was going to do it? no clue ] but I was careless. I didn't account for others getting involved.

[ as far as he's concerned, the blame lies with him. ]

Sorry.

[ Silco's eyebrow rose -- the other perpetually locked, although the drawn in brow was marred from the fight, scattered. His scar too showed, the makeup he used to cover the large space above his eye had not been corrected yet. Kaeya was privy to a rare sight, Silco looking somewhat out of place.

He supposed it was Kaeya's fault, to start with, that he'd drawn Estinien into battle, but could any of them have predicted this? That the innocent would come out, or that it would be that powerful? The Regent had hinted, of course, but they had not provided details.

Then again, even speaking of their power, Silco would have trouble believing in. He found himself dwarfed by the scale, like he was looking down into the ocean, and beheld the vastness of it, and found himself wanting of that truly vast power. And yet to be taken by selecting else... no. He wanted it for himself alone. ]

Could you have predicted for that? I cornered it with Makoto and Gen. They overwhelmed him.

I hardly feel at fault.

[ He didn't accept Kaeya's apology, but neither did he reassure him. Unfortunately, Silco was still Silco. ]

[ perhaps he should be more worried about how many times he agrees that silco is right, but it's hard to argue with the man's logic. it's true that there was no way he could have predicted what would have drawn out the entity in the end, so he shouldn't shoulder the full blame... well, hearing the words and actually believing in them are two different things, so kaeya is going to have to work through that on his own.

he can't help but marvel over what a frightening man estinien is though. to need so many of the kenoma aions to simply overwhelm him... it's no wonder he is a constant thorn. like the innocence, he suspects they will have to deal with him too.

things to think about, maybe for later. he files that all away for now.

without anything to add, he studies the other man more closely this time. not only did he have the chance to witness silco's frustrations, but now he is realizing how less put-together the man is overall. the lack of makeup, the mess of his hair... it's a complete contrast to what kaeya is used to seeing, and somehow, a fraction of a smile ghosts his lips over the realization.

they aren't so different — two monsters who like to hide the ugly reality under a layer of charm and class that isn't so easily unraveled most of the time. it almost makes him wonder why silco sought him out before he stitched the pieces of his facade together again, but he isn't going to say anything about it. if anything, it prompts him to abandon his glass on the nearest surface. he stands up and settles on the seat closest to silco, ignoring the pain that comes with the sudden movement.

there's no warning given when he rests his head against silco's shoulder, his eye closing shut. the man is free to shake him off, but a part of him is hoping that he's allowed this rare moment of indulgence. ]

... At the very least, I'm glad you're alright.

[ they may have lost this particular fight, but at least they're well enough to try again. ]

[ Silco froze.

Not for long, but it's perceptible. If Kaeya were smaller, lighter, or younger... Even though he's missing an eye, his hair is blue, and Silco desperately wished it was a different person in that moment, that leaned against him. He wasn't used to affection, or touching, other than from his daughter, and Kaeya might catch it -- if he's listening for it -- that slight breath, sharper, it shuddered out from him with as if he's trying to expel a weakness from himself. As if perhaps, if he didn't think about it, he wouldn't wish that it was someone who was gone, and dead, like the rest of them from his world.

One eye blinked, and his fingers pressed to his pants, as if he could steady his thoughts, and not be drug into the abject despair that came from dwelling. Even as weak as the Kenoma in his shard was, he could feel it, as it tried to drag him down, and pull him into that ever-growing pit of despair. The longer they went into this, the longer he was certain that somewhere, Zaun didn't exist anymore. It was gone, and there was no bright lights, streets filled with his shimmer, an operation growing and amassing power, ready to overthrow Piltover -- and more importantly, there was no Silco in the center, and his daughter wasn't there to back him up.

He nudged Kaeya, with a great deal less force, than one would expect. ]

Come now, an old monster like me? I'm good at surviving. A little innocent isn't going to do me in quite yet. Not until I stab it in the back. Now let's have a drink before this all gets squirreled away by someone else.

[ kaeya isn't the one silco wanted to be with at this very moment, and the same is true in reverse. silco isn't the one kaeya needed solace from either. the comfort that leaning against the other man has brought him is almost a mockery of what he'd intended to get from it, but... it's all he has. it's all he'll ever be allowed to have, because someone like him doesn't deserve more than this.

when he feels silco freeze up, he fully expects to be pushed aside. it would have been alright with him if that happened; he would have understood. after all, the two of them aren't close— they don't even trust one another, so why would the man allow him to have this moment of selfishness? he was so sure that silco was going to refuse him that it almost comes as a shock when he... isn't. there's still a nudge that reminds him he's too close, yes, but it's not forceful at all. it gives kaeya the choice of whether or not he wants to be the one to pull away.

it's not enough, he thinks. it'll never be enough, but he slowly moves away from silco so he can look up at him proper. whatever fraction of a smile he now wears on his face is almost sheepish. apologetic. ]

Right. A drink. [ haha. ] Wouldn't want to let it go to waste.

[ he reaches for his glass again, tipping it towards silco's direction. a small toast before he drinks it all. ]

[ Silco knows that Kaeya is on the cusp of something. Whether he'll become a proper monster, just like him, or whether he will be too weak to rise to the surface... Silco isn't sure yet, because they haven't been able to truly test themselves. Oh, yes, he'd stood toe to to with Estinien, but the man had been a flurry of power and fight, truly much more than Silco had ever seen, in his long years living in the backalleys of Zaun. He'd seen Sevika brawl like a monster, but that was because of the Shimmer in her arm, and it still was only slightly beyond superhuman. Nothing like what they'd seen.

No, Kaeya needed to be pushed more, become stronger, and harder. Perhaps there's still weakness in there, but he doesn't bring it to the light, or allow it to be examined yet. The boy was raw still, from their near-defeat. Most of them had gotten away, and while he'd been injured...it wasn't physical, only something to do with his soul.

No big deal. ]

Precisely, and then, we'll talk strategy. Until that Thing is out of Estinien, I don't think any of us will be capable of taking it, without truly overwhelming it, and that seems...

Difficult, when our forces are split like they were today.

[ Business, Kaeya. It's where Silco goes, when he doesn't know what to say, or doesn't know what to do. He doesn't want to speak on what he'd just done, but he also doesn't want to tell him why he froze. ]

[ regardless of kaeya's efforts during the mission at venera, it's true that he needs a proper push to break away from what little else is holding him back. he knows that one of the reasons why he lost against estinien is because he lacked the resolve to kill him. taking him, and by extension, the innocence entity, is out of the question if he can't figure that one out for himself.
it'll also become a problem in the long run, so he knows, he already knows even without silco telling him later on. ]

... I doubt this is going to be the only time our forces will be split, so that's something to account for later on as well. Estinien by himself is already a big thorn on our side...

[ business is easy to talk about. it spares him from thinking about his own selfishness. his own weaknesses.

he looks over at silco. ]

You said it was because he was overwhelmed that the entity was drawn out?

[ that, after all, was one of the things he wanted to know when he tried to lure out the dragon, so he'll linger over that for a moment. ]

As far as I could tell.

[ He hedged, although it seemed like it. Only when they'd had the chance to turn the tide, had the entity burst forth, like a brilliant, shimmering, bright spear. Just like the one that had hit him, right in the back. ]

Gen and M had been given... a boost, of sorts. From me. It helped them compensate for his speed and strength, but in return, That Thing had decided to simply take care of business themselves.

[ He hated it. The power it had, the fact that they didn't have the power. The fact that it was on their side...

It was all jumbled up with the reasons why Silco hated the thing. ]

[ there's a whole lot to unpack in silco's answer. first, that gen and m having the boost must have been enough to turn the tides in their favour, only to be thwarted almost immediately by the entity, and then second, silco isn't shy about how much he hates that thing. kaeya thinks that's understandable, given what it could do.

it's just— now it just feels like the task of taking that being down is a herculean effort. ]

Then it sounds like we have our work cut out for us.

[ if the way to lure the entity out again is by overwhelming an already powerful foe, then he doubts it's something that will be easily accomplished a second time around. this happened by convenient happenstances falling into place, and they're definitely going to need more than just a boost in strength and speed.

he grows pensive as he considers different possibilities, something that's a bit difficult to achieve when he is still in recovery, but he tries. ]

... At least we can rely on Estinien to be predictable in some regards. If he can be lured once, then I suppose as long as the bait is tempting enough, I doubt he'd refuse to come.

[ and they can use that against him, too. ]

No, I doubt he wouldn't. He'll be wherever we can lure him, for certain.

[ He says, his tone appreciative. Silco did like predictability, when it was like this. It meant that his plans could be formed around that, and less around the questions, the unknowns. Silco was a planner, a plotter. He wanted to sit back, and let the chips fall into place, and so often, he found that he wasn't able to do it.

He took a sip of his drink, pensive when he did so. ]

We'll figure this out. Once we all get back. I'm sure the Regent will have...information about what that was, as well.

They had suggested that it was going to be too powerful, but I had not expected... that.

[ Still laden with hate. The thing had tried to take over his body. His hand had snapped. It had driven the Kenoma away from him, and it had dared to insult him over choosing destruction when he had no care for this world or it. It sounded offended when he'd made a choice he would make over, and over again, until the universe spit his daughter and Zaun back out before him in supplication. He hated the thing because it had tried to give him a false sense of security -- remind him of a time when his soul was quiet, about to give in, but Silco was violent, and hateful to a world that had dared to try to pull him under.

How dare it. ]

It proves that we must take care of it. As soon as possible.

[ there's a lot to take in — not just silco's words, but the emotion sneaking around every syllable. he already knows that the man isn't too fond of the innocence entity, given what it could do, what it could take away from them. it's just surprising to find out how deep that dislike goes. silco hates it so much he isn't able to contain himself like he normally could.

it's the first time kaeya has seen him this way. there's a part of him that thinks he shouldn't comment on it, but maybe it'll help reel silco back in. ]

You really aren't fond of this entity, are you?

[ thank you, captain obvious. it should hopefully do the trick though. ]

... If the Regent does have more information on what the entity could do, then I'm sure we'll make good use of it.

[ there's not much more they can do out here, not when they've made barely made it out of that encounter. ]

[ It works, about as well as one can expect. Silco did breathe in, breathe out, and run a hand through his hair, to put things back into place. ]

Of course I do.

[ It had tried to change him, against his will. It had tried to soothe the monster within him, tried to drag him down underneath the waves, pull him into that comfortable lull, where one would be happy. Silco hated that thing because it had tried to do something, and Silco had already pulled free of it. He had done that once, and yet it had very nearly taken him in. Nearly, it had almost convinced him to fall into its daze. It had taken someone else to pull him out, and Silco was furious at it, for even getting close. ]

But you are correct. I am quite certain the Regent knows what to do, in this. I'll be reporting back, when this is over. They were familiar enough with it, that I'm positive they will have a way to make it dance on their string.

They even sounded a bit...excited to try killing it.

[ there it is again— kaeya will take it as a sign that it worked, even if it wasn't quite enough. it is quickly becoming apparent, however, that there is only one surefire way to soothe the hatred that silco harbours towards the entity. there isn't anything else that'll work just as well, he realizes. ]

... They're familiar with it? [ that's new... but not entirely surprising. ] That only works in our favour, right?

[ is it wishful thinking? maybe. but if the regent knows about what the entity is capable of, then surely they'll know how to take it down? one can only hope. ]

I do hope they can shed some light on what the entity can do, just so we know what exactly it did to the rest of us.

[ Unless it's dead and buried, there really is no way for Silco to be soothed over his hatred. Then again, this is a man who plotted revenge in a canning factory while he tested a drug for years. That was how Silco was. What he did. He would not rest until the thing was gone, revenge for daring to try to soothe him, silence him. Put him to rest.

There was so little difference between silence, and death, to a man who fought tooth, claw, and nail to survive. ]

I do as well. It was... offensive, that they dared to do so. I should think that the Regent will want to escalate our attempts, now that we know what they can do.

Perhaps, of course, this will be a moot point, and the Regent will not be able to counter it. We will have to prepare ourselves for the possibility that until it is dead, we may be visited by this thing time and time again.

I'm not all that interested in letting that entity get the better of us a third time around, so if we're going to lure it out again, then I would prefer it to be the last time.

[ after all, no one wants this being to continue to roam freely when considering how powerful it is. that, and he's not sure how long silco can hold a grudge, but he's also not that interested in finding that out over something like this. ]

... That said, there has to be a way to overcome it other than relying on power and strength alone. Violence didn't exactly work out before.

[ makoto was branded for his insolence, and then eustace lost his sight. now they've all had the kenoma driven out of them in some way. they'll have to account for that too. ]

You're right.

We'll have to be smarter, and more clever than we have been before.

[ It's said with the all of the annoyance and petty anger of someone who hated having it been bested again. He was insulted that it had dared to spear him, let alone that it had shown up. The intention had been to perhaps capture him, or dissipate him -- And Silco hadn't even really been involved in the fight itself, up until the end.

He'd hung back, watching carefully, but it wasn't until they had all been routed that Silco had deigned to step in.

Then again, given his abilities, he wasn't for combat. It didn't mean he couldn't, but... ]

We'll have to be more clever than it is, Kaeya. Good thing we have so many... resources at our disposal, hm?

[ silco's annoyance is a feeling kaeya can relate to in more ways than one. it's rare enough for him to fail in his duties, but the innocent entity is a wildcard that none of them can truly account for. he knows that it's going to take much more than just being more clever when whatever the entity is fully capable of is still up in the air.

then again, at least they can account for its ability to scare away the kenoma from within them all. if they never allow it to have a chance to use that skill... ]

Then, I suppose our first task once we're back will be taking stock of what resources we already have on hand.

[ resources. what a strange way to refer to their comrades, but this is silco, after all. it doesn't really surprise him anymore.

(if anything, it's almost comforting.) ]

Is there anything else I should keep in mind?

Hm.

[ It's a note, of thought. ]

I'll need to check with the Regent, and see if we have other options for the attack it can do, perhaps prevent it, or circumvent it. [ A smirk there. Wouldn't it be delightful, if it could just be brushed off, like it was nothing. ]

Otherwise, I don't think so. Not until we get back, and properly debrief. I think the Regent will be interested in the experience, at the very least, hm?

[ if only the innocent entity would be so easy to brush off... even monsters are allowed to dream sometimes. he can't help but smile. ]

Yes, I imagine they would be.

[ after all, there's a lot that went down during that scuffle despite the overall loss. the information they gained is still valuable enough on its own. whatever they can provide to the regent will always be a good thing since it'll fill in the gaps of knowledge wherever possible. ]

I'll keep you apprised should I learn anything else.

[ they have a lot of work to do once they return to achamoth... but at least there's wine to tide them over until they have to head back. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (VENERA)

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ties a pretty bow around this thread... until next time,