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Entry tags:
- !event,
- #innocence,
- archduke j: visionary,
- barnaby brooks jr: lover,
- estinien wyrmblood: firebrand,
- eustace: firebrand,
- father paul hill: martyr,
- kaeya alberich: lover,
- kim dokja: martyr,
- kim kitsuragi: martyr,
- liem talbott: champion,
- majorita: firebrand,
- makoto ("m"): firebrand,
- meteion: innocent,
- ryunosuke naruhodo: champion,
- tartaglia (childe): firebrand,
- yuya sakaki: lover
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 Shops are open, and its people are withdrawn but superficially friendly when meeting strangers.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.
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.
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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anyway. that knife from earlier has left a mark. he's used to pain, though. blood drips from his arm, into his makeshift uniform that often reminds him of home. a way to bring a sense of normalcy into his day to day life as he tries to maintain what makes him him. and because of that, he feels... obligated. to stop eustace. but only stop. not permanent. temporary.
those words and thoughts are further reinforced as he tries not to feel sympathy for eustace. he knows he's been successful to a point; his raw throat sort of confirms it. at the very least, he's making sure he's known.
but then? the dagger. does it have to be weakly thrown when they're so close to not force him to respond? how many knives does he carry?? what is he, some kind of pointy object dispenser??? these feelings are quickly tossed into the metaphorical, mental incinerator as it does land true--- it doesn't necessarily stick inside of him for too long, but it does enough to do what eustace wants.
toge disengages, falling backwards. onto his back, where he promptly gets the wind knocked out of him.
THE EARS ARE STILL OKAY, thanks furry gods ]
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Also look. Sometimes you prefer to work with oddly shaped explosives but get transported to ye old 1800s where small handheld grenades are not readily available so you have to find an alternative and that alternative just happens to be small pointy knives. Everyone has to make do in these trying times.
His momentary bout of freedom doesn't go wasted; as soon as the worst of the pain subsides, he's off and running, not away but towards his fallen gun a dozen feet away. Unsurprisingly his movements are still jerky, muscles still tense from having been squeezed and twisted, and it takes longer than he would like for him to finally reach down and grab his gun, his fingers trembling as they wrap around the handle. From there it's a matter of aiming and firing, but with the intent to disable and not kill.
The real question is: can he pull the trigger quick enough to add zapped and slightly charred Toge to today's menu, or is he going to be told to sit first? ]
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toge knows. he knows he's in trouble. for some reason, eustace isn't a pretzel. he's not some kind of weird shape that is neither man or dog or dogman or wolfman and as trained as he is, there's no way he can keep the surprise off his face. he's lying on the ground wondering where things went wrong--- is he holding back? if it were some actual cursed spirit and not some flesh and blood man, he might've...
he might've done something he would regret in the future.
he doesn't expect the burst of lightning to shoot out of eustace's gun. a bullet might've been easier to deal with. at least before he cries out in pain, before his breath and voice is taken from him, toge musters every bit of energy to shout: ]
Sit down!
[ isn't shooting someone while they're down like... that's kinda mean. ]
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At least his body isn't on the verge of bending in on itself anymore, and while the pain is still crippling enough that he has to grit his teeth to stave off the worst of it, at least his reflexes don't seem to have deteriorated straight away. His shot rings true, a crackle of electricity bursting forth from the barrel of his gun towards his unfortunate target. Hopefully it'll be enough to disable him, to give Eustace enough time to either knock him out or fire a second, more debilitating shot.
As it turns out, he gets to do neither of those things.
Instead, a youthful voice calls out and his ass hits the floor immediately, the shock of it all once again sending his gun spinning out of his hands and (also) onto the ground. For awhile, all he can do is sit there, arms stretched out to either side to keep him upright and his legs pulled up towards his chest.
This is fucking embarrassing. ]
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one might say toge's words weren't just to keep eustace from recovering and getting another shot off, but to make whatever ego and confidence he has stay grounded as well. there are certainly stronger options in his vocabulary.
as the pain begins to dissipate, he can feel his fingers and toes again. they ache much like the rest of his body, but it's better than having something like 'no blood in body' or 'missing parts'. even if he knows there's a way to not completely die thanks to the power of the shard and whatnot, why risk it?
it's hard. he can't do this anymore. ]
Please... don't.
[ does he sound miserable as eustace felt earlier? because toge feels it. ]
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But today won't be the day the goop gets twisted out of him, nor will it be the day he gives up simply because someone asks him to. (Even if there's a part of him that wants to throw all this aside and leave Venera - leave Achamoth - to live quietly in a remote village somewhere off the map.)
Maybe there's a misery in his eyes that reflects Toge's own, but the continued struggle of his body as he tries to fight the single command that's stapled his butt to the ground suggests that he won't be giving up any time soon. He doesn't even have any weapons left to him now, all his daggers thrown and his gun still fallen to the wayside, but that doesn't seem to be extinguishing his will to fight.
Someone really is going to have to be knocked over the head at this rate. ]
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he's sorry because, for one? he hates having to do this. toge hates it. there's only anger and not of it directed at eustace. he's angry at the regent. he's angry at the fact he can't do anything BUT this--- there doesn't seem to be any other way to keep eustace down, other than to do it himself.
maybe he'll find some well deserved rest after this. maybe the next time they meet, it won't be under such horrible circumstances. all toge has ever wanted is peace.
he's not crying. he's not. if eustace sees it, he'll deny it. ]
Eustace. Please, sleep.
[ and he'll hope this man will find a pleasant dream waiting for him. ]
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It's a good thing Eustace is conking the fuck out then before he can say anything. Good for both of them, because it means Toge doesn't have to deny the distressed upset that clearly clings to him like a heavy blanket, and it means Eustace doesn't have to do worse to this kind boy who has only ever shown him sympathy and mercy.
The desperate plea works quick, a sudden wave of lethargy washing over him as his eyelids fight (and fail) to stay open. The unceasing motions of his body to fight his invisible bindings slow and then stop, and then his body's slumping to one side, the rise and and fall of his chest much steadier and slower in rhythm than before.
Maybe there won't be pleasant dreams now, but at least no one will be hurt further. Better peace in reality than peace in his dreams. ]
🎀
but toge, whose throat is burning, won't be able to go any further himself. not without some kind of medicine that can help ease some of that pain. his voice won't be coming back any time soon. somehow, expending his energy is more taxing than it is back home--- but it makes sense to him. there is an extra cost in everything, it seems, and using it on other aions...
he'll just need to keep track of what causes him to strain more.
either way? toge will let eustace sleep. he'll make sure the citizens leave sleeping dogs lie. don't upset him. just... leave him be.
no note. no tears shed. no regrets left. goodbye, friend. ]