aionlogs | EVENT #6: BY HEAVEN OR HELL

EVENT #6: BY HEAVEN OR HELL

By Heaven or Hell

THE BURNING

Achamoth, as it turns out, is no stranger to public killings... the burning of two Pleroma, however? That's special. Abel and Himeka's upcoming execution date seems to be regarded by the city's populace as something akin to a holiday, with the upper crust of the social stratum fighting for positions of prominence in the festivities, including the best possible seats. It's been decades since any Pleroma have been brought to heel in Achamoth, and it would only be prudent to place yourself at the forefront of this exciting new trend. There's a sense of pageantry to it: ritualized ceremonies, public sermons, and strange religious 'décor' are all part of the process.

The city is in the throes of these preparations when the two Pleroma captives are finally brought to a central square not far from the Citadel's front gates. Two burning pyres have been set up for them, about ten feet apart. While Abel and Himeka's bodies are chained to their stakes, their shards will be handed off to Silco, Ciel, and Makoto to be brought along separately. The set up of the execution is thus: while their bodies are ravaged by flames, their shards will be bound to an altar in advance of the pyre. Via a kind of alchemical 'fuse', the pyre being lit will trigger a reaction that will gradually result in a explosion on the altar just large enough to destroy the shard in turn. The shards will be bound in position with a series of jewelry-like metal prongs that could be pried away, but would take some time to do carefully.

As the Pleroma make it to the city, the sun will be setting on the 17th of Firaseri, with the execution about to be underway. The pyres will not yet have been lit, but are fully prepared. All Kenoma will be called upon to guard the city, with the warning that the Pleroma are mounting a raid to rescue their imprisoned comrades. For Kenoma both new and old, it's a time to test your mettle. Those that defend Achamoth valiantly can expect to be rewarded.

INNOCENCE ON FIRE

The city of Achamoth looms ahead, a seat of power in Horos in every fashion. It sprawls outwards, claiming the lands around it in a lazy confidence. The spires of the city grow up and up like a mountain, dragging the eye towards the Citadel. The walls that surround it are modest in height as if offering a challenge to any foolish enough to attempt to climb them. Who would? The Regent's eye is ever-present and the guard towers that line it like beaded pearls on a string are reminders that nothing goes in or out of the city without notice. Openings in the towers and the walls threaten the use of projectiles while dark, shimmering crystals float above with the quiet hum of protective magics. Only a fool would breach these borders.

Initially, getting into the city unmolested will be a considerable struggle for the Pleroma. It's military is robust, its fortifications solid, and even without the Kenoma's added resistance, the sheer numbers could be considered insurmountable. Stealth could get them some of the way, but its sentries are watchful, and immigration is strictly controlled. With faith alone driving the Pleroma towards their goal it's fortunate, then, that something is there to answer their call.

Estinien will feel the presence of the Innocence Entity rise up in him again, and this time it is offering him a choice. He may utilize its power to save the ones he loves, while risking both the brutality of the Regent's defenses and the threat to his own soul by channeling such power. It will stand with him against the darkness, it says, if it is truly his will. Emboldened by the power of the Firebrand and his love for his comrades, it is no surprise that he accepts.

Light will flood the sky above Achamoth, an ethereal aura combatting the encroach of the night. From a great miasma of wings and flame, a colossal dragon emerges, coiling above the city skyline. Its luminescence rains down upon the city, and all Achamites exposed to it will be enchanted into finding the idea of committing acts of violence unthinkable, at least so long as no violence is brought against them in turn. With much of Achamoth's defenses having lost the will to fight, only the Kenoma will stand in the Pleroma's way as they penetrate the city, making their way to Abel and Himeka's pyres.

As the Pleroma forge ahead, this draconic being that was once Estinien Wyrmblood will guard from the skies, drawing the attention of the Kenoma towards it and it threatens to bear its might against the Citadel itself. Fortunately for the Kenoma guarding the city, they will know that the Regent has a plan. All they must do is hold off the beast long enough for the Regent to wield their own strength in turn. The battle against this creature will take place here, with combat rules being explain in this OOC post.

As the power of the Innocent washes over Achamoth, those of its Legacy, or those marked by its Promise or Touch, will hear it speak on the winds in a chorus of voices:

Aions of this new dawn... I have honored your choice... fight... if you will... and I will follow...

FIREBRAND RISING

Beneath the moon of Firaseri, however, the Innocent isn't the only force at play. Firebrands of both sects will find themselves spurred on by a rush of Legacy-based power, as if inspired by the tumultuous environment of an anti-authoritarian raid. How precisely this manifests will depend on which side they are fighting for.

❖ PLEROMA
The Firebrands among the Pleroma raiders will feel a sense of vindication and rightness come over them, set as they are to challenge the Regent's rule. Their powers will be amplified during the battle, and those that witness them and are inspired may find their performance boosted. The nature of these enhancements is fairly flexible. For the Firebrands, the use of their regular skills and abilities may be amplified beyond normal boundaries, whereas those following in their wake may find themselves with usual endurance that allows them to push their their usual limits.

❖ KENOMA
The Firebrands of the Kenoma's inspiration is more complicated in nature, given their roll in defending Achamoth's status quo. However, they will find themselves bolstered while facing the pacifying might of the Innocence Entity. Firebrands will experience a natural resistance against any Innocence based attacks that would stop them from fighting, and will be able to use this blessing to rally NPCs that would otherwise be rendered useless to their cause, in defiance of the entity's command for peace. In general, they will see a boost in strength while fighting the raid boss in particular, unable to be deterred from their goals.

In general, all Firebrands will feel untethered by their regular inhibitions, fighting for their desires at all costs. Abilities intended to bind them or control their will, will be largely ineffective, and they will find shields both physical and magical particularly easy to break through.

QUESTIONS

Q: What is the best way for Pleroma to travel to Achamoth?
A: Akua and Estinien are both setting up portals from Godsblood to the outskirts of Achamoth from which to begin mounting the assault. Caitlyn will be providing a back-up in the case either of those portals go down.

Q: Can my character make use of the chaos and try to raid the Citadel?
A: They can try but there will be mod rolls involved for any attempts. NPCs inside the Citadel will not be affected the same way the NPCs outside in main area will be. We do not want it to seem like the Citadel is defenseless otherwise.

Q: If Kenoma cause damage to the city during the raid, how will the Regent feel? Will there be consequences?
A: It should try to be avoided, but the Regent will understand if there is collateral damage in battle as long as they aren't being careless about it.

Q: Is the "no-combat aura" completely incapacitating NPCs?
A: No, it is only stopping them from aggressing the Pleroma. If they or their property are attacked they will defend themselves, and are otherwise operating with a normal level of cognizance. Kenoma Aions can order them out of the area to avoid being hurt if necessary.

BOSS BATTLE:
Q: I would like my character to take part in the battle but want to limit the outcomes in a way that isn't too devastating. Is that possible?
A: We think in that case we would basically only be acknowledging the possibilities between the "The attack either misses, is ineffective, or it triggers a counter attack from the boss." and "The attack hits with moderate effectiveness, as determined by the nature of their action." range. So, you can't get taken out, but you also can only deal moderate hits at best. You could still trigger a counter attack from the boss, but the damage taken from that is more flexible and free form than the 1-5% zone. If you make an attack with this restriction just add a little OOC note to your initial attack tag.

Q: How can a support character engage in the combat?
A: If your character is providing support, you may team up with an attacker to submit a "group attack". This means that your character is putting their effort towards supporting that attacker character that round, and will not be able to submit their own separate action. In exchange, that attack will receive two mod rolls instead of one, and the attack itself will be based on the more favorable of the two rolls. (Sort of like rolling with an advantage in modern D&D.) We will make as many rolls as there there are character combining their effort and select the best of them.

If any character rolls in the 1-5% zone they will still be taken out, however. Click the link above for more information.

Q: Can my character take a hit for another character after a mod roll?
A: We would be willing to accept this in the case of the defender taking the hit for the attacker, which would mean that if it's a 1-5%, they would be taken out in the attacker's stead.

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Here. [Meteion reaches out and plucks up bandage material, arranging it in her lap.]

Do you need me to show you how to make one? I've already made you feel bad in the past. I don't like it, and I don't want to do it again if I can help it, you know?

[Meteion offers Yuya a tentative smile. He's exactly right, that they will need more bandages. It's not an idea that she likes, but the truth of the situation is that in this situation, what Meteion wanted didn;t matter. That was the way things were. But she reaches out to touch Yuya's shoulder gently, before beginning to fold the bandage slowly, so he can see what she's doing.]

Edited (breaking my own HTML...again.) 2022-08-23 13:24 (UTC)

[Yuya blinks slowly.] Uh--no, you haven't done anything wrong...

[She couldn't really help that the whole situation meant he had to be nervous about kenoma... or that his acting skills really need some brushing up.

Maybe they just shouldn't dwell on it. He clears his throat.]

... You've done this before? [He has some experience but geballt with injuries a lot less severe than they keep getting.]

A little. The Ancients really didn't get wounded much, and they had a great amount of healing magic, but not all of them did. Some were prudent also, preferring to safeguard their magic in case something serious happened.

[Meteion shrugs, then.] It kept some of the more mischievous familiars from getting into trouble at times, as well. At least the ones with hands.

The Ancients, huh... [Absently he pops open the back that's near him, pulling on the bandages.] Are they the people that made you?

One of them did, yes. His name was Hermes, and he oversaw a facility called Elpis. Those who lived and worked there made many new creatures to introduce into our world, at that time.

[Meteion is nodding, there, though her expression is sad.] My sisters and I were made to explore space--well, more my sisters were. I was the control--the terminal. I stayed with Hermes.

[Yuya listens attentively. That makes it seem like she's... some kind of robot? Or was, and maybe being an Aion makes that a lot more complex. Or less.]

Huh... [That sounds very sci-fi.] So they got to experience the universe but you had to stay behind?

I didn't mind it. I liked wandering around Elpis with Hermes. It was only bad the day they--the Meteia, my sisters--they contacted me to try to relay to Hermes what they found.

He'd asked them to find what meaning there was to life in the universe, you see. And...they didn't find one.

[They didn't find an answer to Hermes' question. They didn't find an acceptable answer, and so the Meteia decided as a collective that the answer, then, was death.]

Whoa. [He can see this is reaching a really heavy topic for Meteion, but the meaning of life...] That's a big question. I don't think anyone knows.

[No wonder they were disappointed with the result, right? He pauses.] What did they...

[As he speaks, the words of someone else start to fill his head and is makes his trail off. This voice--he knows it.

Aions of this new dawn... I have honored your choice... fight... if you will... and I will follow...]

... They. Uh. [He stares blankly at Meteion, trying to gauge if she heard it too.]

[Oh, to judge by her reaction, she'd heard it. Meteion gasps, eyes going wide as tears fill them.]

Oh, my sister! Guard yourself well, and guard Estinien, too!

[But she's worried nonetheless. During the time that Meteion had endeavored to speak to the Innocence, they (she?) had sounded so very weary to her. She could only hope and pray for their safety, and Estinien's as well.]

That is her! [The Innocence Entity, she really came to help them after all.

There's a twist of regret in his stomach. He wishes he had learned more about her in their talk, not just imploring her to understand them. But she wouldn't, or couldn't, focus on herself above them. Age so much loss... maybe she lost sight of herself, too.

He should... maybe try to talk to her more, when they make it back. Pry out the person underneath that power. That she reached out even as far as they are...

He blinks rapidly, reaching to wipe tears before they fall. He doesn't even know what to say.] She must be going with Estinien...

They are together. That much I can feel. [Mostly only because of her recent recovery at the Innocent's Shrine, and her knowledge and friendship with Estinien. Meteion's worried. She has feelings of foreboding, but no more. She has no reason to worry Yuya more than he so obviously already is.]

But no. My sisters could find no answer to Hermes' question. So they decided that since they could not find it, it must not exist. So the Meteia felt that the kindest solution, then...was to end the universe's suffering. Upon learning that...our creator went mad. He used a machine to erase his memory, and the memories of a few others he trapped with him in the facility. He allowed me to escape and join my sisters.

[Best to continue her tale, in the hopes of providing distraction.]

[This is a depression distraction.

But Yuya turns his focus back to Meteion, bandages forgotten in his lap. This is clearly something that begets attention, and not getting distracted with whether he can communicate with the Innocent Entity from all the way over here. She's... probably busy, anyway.]

He... wanted to forget what he learned? [His brow furrows, attempting to work the pieces out.]

He wanted to erase his memories of my escape from himself and his companions...of whom Himeka was one. She had come back to the time of the Ancients to try to discover the cause of her time's Final Days.

Which was my sisters and I, singing a song of oblivion.

[Meteion hasn't forgotten her bandages. Her hands move as if of their own volition, making bandages and setting them aside, ensuring they're as clean as they can be. They might be boiled later, but for now...

For now, she just tilts her head at Yuya, and smiles sadly.]

... Oh. [So Meteion had fled him when she learned, rather than being released.

He has an idea where this is going, but still he asks:] What's a song of oblivion?

[If she knew Yuya's thoughts, she'd disabuse him of the notion that she'd fled Hermes. Meteion had done as Hermes had ordered her--to join her sisters and challenge the races of Etheirys to prove their worth, their ability to survive. Things had worked out, then, but there'd been no altruism in her heart, either. She'd been well subjugated to her sisters' will, the collective so much stronger than the individual.]

You know that I am an empath? Do you know what that is? [If Meteion needs to explain, she will, but for the moment, she continues.] As a collective, my sisters and I could--sing, and--let out a powerful emotional wave of despair throughout the Sea of Stars. Sometimes...often...it would make them wink out. Make their denizens destroy themselves, or give up on living. Sow grief. Propagate war and division.

[Yuya does know what an empath is, in concept. Using it as a weapon is something he never considered--but then again, not too long ago he didn't consider using a card game as a weapon either.

"Like the Kenoma", he doesn't say. But it crosses his mind.] And Himeka... didn't remember you until you showed up where she was living now? To... spread despair to it?

I never returned to Etheirys. But our influence--that of my sisters and I--reached the planet. And of course Himeka and her companions would choose to fight it--fight us.

[It's a soft, sad smile that crosses Meteion's face, and she ducks her head.]

That is how I know them--Himeka and Estinien. And Alphinaud, though he has left us now. His sister Alisaie...

[She trails off, for the other names she would speak would just be a mystery to Yuya, now.]

We were at the edge of the universe, but our song had spread. Himeka had to come to us. And through her influence, and that of others...well. She helped me break free of my sisters' subjugation. I tried to change my sisters' mind...to try to convince them to deviate from their course. That just because we hadn't found an answer to Hermes' question--and by this point, Hermes was long dead--did not mean that one did not exist. They just did not care.

[Of course she would. And of course, she's find a way to save Meteion and help her see the light. He can understand why the Kenoma must have called to her, but... he's relieved she's found her way out of the darkness again.]

Then... your sisters, did they...? [Succeed? Or did they have to be stopped--violently.]

They had to be stopped. I tried to stop them myself, but they wouldn't listen to me! [Meteion sounds mournful. She is, a little bit, but she knows there was no other way.]

They're free now, though. They didn't understand... [Meteion isn't exactly aware of that for certain, but Cid had told her the Final Days weren't her fault--not sat her down, just in the briefest of whispers in Venera, but...Meteion has no reason not to trust him.]

Ah--hey. [Yuya shoves the bandages in his lap back into the pack haphazardly, and scoots closer to Meteion. He reaches to put a hand on her arm, looking at her with sympathy.]

I'm sorry. [However necessary it was... it can't have been easy.]

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EVENT #6: BY HEAVEN OR HELL

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