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 Shops are open, and its people are withdrawn but superficially friendly when meeting strangers.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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Paul's response is so--parental? paternalistic??--that it manages to shock Matt into stillness. He gusts a laugh of surprise. ]

Okay, okay. Fair enough.

[ He focuses instead on getting his breath back. He'll need to be in control of himself if they run afoul of any other Pleroma. Matt counts as he inhales, counts as he holds the breath, and counts as he breathes it out.

... Which does kinda hurt, now he thinks of it. ]

[He doesn't ask before making contact with Matt, not in the same way he's asked everyone else; his touch is light and easily withdrawn, easily pulled away from, and he imagines Matt will get the point once he feels the tears to his skin and otherwise begin to knit together. It's likely not the most pleasant sensation - it's uncomfortable, there's a sort of strange sensation to it that doesn't quite itch but still manages to feel kind of wrong in its speed, but it'll happen well enough as long as Paul maintains contact.

...That said, he's not really interested in just standing around in silence, either.]

So what did you do to him, exactly?

[ Matt's reaction to the touch is small but pronounced: a ticklish straightening of his spine as the strange/wrong sensations make themselves felt, a quick indrawn breath. After a moment, when the uncomfortable, itch-adjacent feelings fail to resolve, Matt starts breathing into them, coaxing his shoulders to hang slack and his limbs to relax.

Paul's question draws a frown. Curious, rather than pained or upset. ]

It's not a spell, [ he answers slowly. ] It affected his emotions, though. It felt like ... sending energy through him, like raw will, and I wanted him to just. Stop.

[ He blinks at Paul, grimacing sheepishly. ]

Did that make any sense at all? I think I did the same thing to Childe last time we were all here.

...It makes sense, I think, yeah.

[It also sounds like you attacked Childe for no reason, which...damn? But go off, he supposes.]

This was ideally not how you would get a display of the healing abilities, incidentally. You'd said you wanted one some time ago. I know it doesn't feel spectacular or anything, but it's better than having to wait everything out.

[ Matt doesn't realize how incriminating his explanation sounds, so he only nods in relief when Paul seems to understand. In fairness, he's a bit distracted by this healing process, as well as ... all of the everything that's just happened. ]

It feels fascinating, [ Matt assures him, with an itchy twitch of a smile as something around his waist knits itself back together. He nearly shudders from the pure weirdness, but manages to stay mostly still; only his shoulder lifts in a jerky half-shrug. ] I definitely prefer it to trying to power through, so, thank you for the demo.

[ A pause. ]

And thank you for saving my life.

[His nerves still feel frayed, in some weird way; maybe that's why his tone is so all over the place. He can't decide what he wants it to be, so it's just going to cover the range.]

...You can't be reckless like that. We could have taken the kid without a fight, and without catching that guy's notice. Next time, don't move until you're told.

[ Matt's eyes widen abruptly, a ruffled frown replacing his more placid look of a moment ago. It's a little puppy-doggish, to be perfectly honest, right down to "doing the bad thing, then surprised by negative feedback."

Matt's not sure they could have taken the kid in without catching that dude's notice. He came from out of nowhere and also can fly? But now is clearly not the time to advance that position. So he just says, meekly: ] Okay.

[He's quiet for a moment. Sighs, sort of.]

Sorry, I just... I don't know. Like I said, I don't like people bleeding all over in front of me. Puts me on edge.

[Among other things.]

I also don't like it when people that are important to me go and get themselves into situations like that. And you're important to me, I'm pretty sure that goes without saying.

[ This earns another look of surprise. Matt knows Paul is important to him--he's the person who pulled him out of helpless misery in the cavern and helped him recall his purpose. He's integral as a pillar. But when it comes to what Paul might think of Matt, he's tried not to think about it. He always prefers to give love without thinking what he might get in return; it saves a lot of painful accounting. ]

Oh, [ he says. ] Well, um ... I'm glad you did say it.

[ If he doesn't seem wholly pleased by the reveal, it's mostly due to guilt. He could've gotten them both destroyed just now. Are those the actions of somebody who deserves to be thought of as important? The rest of Matt's hesitation is an old wound: a gentle certainty that all connection is fleeting and no intimacy can really stay. If even your family doesn't want you, who else would?

Still, he does like Paul. He likes him a lot. His expression softens slightly as he adds, ] You're important to me too.

So ... I really am sorry. I'll do better next time.

[Paul initially doesn't say anything in response.

In all honesty, he isn't sure why Matt is looking at him like that - as though he didn't know, as though this is something that isn't obvious - and when the words hit it takes him a moment to find anything to say. Everything he can think to say immediately is invalidating in some way, and he wants to avoid that before everything else; thankfully enough, Matt seems to move on eventually, and Paul's own voice has softened a good amount from the taut, agitated tone he'd carried before that.]

I know you will. And it's okay.

[He does seem pleased with the outcome, if nothing else.]

...You don't ever have to question that, all right? Whether you're important to me. I'll try to make it clearer to you.

[ Matt exhales, relieved but a little bit sheepish. There's a quiver of leftover nerves in the sound. ]

Oh no, no, it's okay--

You do great. [ Matt means it, but it probably can't help but sound hollow at this point. ] It's a me problem.

[ He feels like he should say something else to be more convincing, though he can't think what. There's a tangle of years behind all possible answers. Luckily, another strange, presumably healing-adjacent sensation tickle-itch-aches down his leg, jarring him off the tangent. Matt swallows a groan. ]

--And ah, this is also great, for real. But do you think I'm good to get back? I wouldn't say no to more healing in a safer location, but ...

[It takes him a moment to shake it off, to pull away and make himself stop; he manages, though, gaze darting away immediately.]

Yeah. Let's go.

EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (VENERA)

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