aionlogs | EVENT #3: THE COST OF INNOCENCE

The Cost of Innocence

INVESTIGATION

As the Aions arrive in Venera, they will find the natural beauty of the city in sharp contrast to its uncomfortable aura. Though the sun still shines and flowers still bloom in a place filled with physical vibrancy and life, the air itself is impossibly still, as if wind no longer blows. You can taste the stagnancy of it when you breathe, and the pleasant sights only make that feeling of absence more haunting. The streets are mostly empty, with most of the city's residents hiding away in their homes, fearing the touch of whatever illness has caused this. That is, all the citizens besides those most affected, who wander the streets in a lifeless and painless daze.

Normally, Venera would be occupied by both Hylician and Achamite soldiers, but it quickly becomes apparent that both have abandoned the city, only guarding its furthest outskirts. Their reasons vary: the Achamite soldiers seem to take religious objection to the feeling of the city, believing it to be some trickery of the Innocent, while the Hylicians simply see it as a plague they have no interest in catching or spreading. Because of this, it will be easy for Aions of both sects to explore with little pushback from any form of law enforcement. The Kenoma will be directed into the city with warnings about the potential physical and spiritual danger while Pleroma will be able to sneak in mostly unbothered. After all, no one is eager to follow you.

Most shops and businesses are currently closed, though some uninfected individuals still nervously keep watch over their workplaces, fearing potential looting. It's difficult, but not impossible, to find people to talk to, and while the most plentiful wanderers are the infected, the reactions from those with their minds still intact will vary. Some will be eager to speak to anyone who looks like they're trying to do something about their situation, desperate for any source of outside help. If revealed you are an Aion, this may either entice them even further or cause them to retreat, as if fearing that you are somehow to blame for their plight. For those that are enticed, it will become clear that they hold onto faith that Aions are in Horos to save them, and will tell these new arrivals whatever they can without discriminating between sects.

The base level information that can be found is thus: the infection began at the same levels it has been in the rest of Horos, only for the numbers of the afflicted to rapidly accelerate upon the coming of the Innocent's Moon. Some see it as a form of divine punishment for their cooperation with the Regent, while the less cooperative citizens see it as a malady brought about by the Aions themselves, their only hope being that they will be able to clean up the mess they made. Some citizen have managed to corral their inflicted loves ones into their rooms and will be willing to introduce you; most of these individuals are past the point of conversation, and seem fully lost to whatever fantasy world they are experiencing. They are disinterested in eating or drinking and it seems like, without help, they are destined for a slow death of starvation and atrophy. That is, if their apathetic state doesn't result in a severe accident, as it has in many cases already.

Any other clues will take more dogged investigation. It will be a day or so after the majority of Aions have arrived in the city that the first signs of their own infections become clear.

HEAVENLY BODIES

The first to feel its effects will be the Innocents, Lovers, and Celebrants; like a voice has fully awakening to them, whispering of how their touch can be the cure to the others' pain. It bids them to take their fellow Aions into their loving embrace, to share this gift, as only suffering lies ahead. It expresses without words that it will be a shield for their Aion kindred, and that those that accept will become their outstretched hands to a cosmos that craves peace. Any form of physical contact with those three Legacies will either introduce or rapidly accelerate the infections experienced by the others, this effect only becoming more intense if the wielder intentionally forces the power of this strange entity into their victims.

Even without that accelerating touch, however, other Aions are not necessarily safe; the infection will still seep in, albeit more slowly. All Aions may experience a growing feeling of connection to the infected Venerans, as if the energy within them is being drawn into their their own bodies. As the Aion's symptoms worsen, the the ones suffered by the Venerans will gradually lessen, though not go away entirely. It seems that the Aions soaking up this strange power is enough to take the edge off of what is happening to the citizens: but at what cost?

Various symptoms will manifest in afflicted Aions with outcomes far more diverse and devastating than what the Veneran civilians have experienced. Visionaries, Firebrands, and Artisans will suffer the most catastrophic symptoms, the clash between their spiritual natures and that of the Innocence being the most extreme. This malady is characterized by its innate desire to quell its victims of their resistance, smothering them in artificial peace, even if it has to deprive them of their bodies and minds to do so.

It is not without treatment, however. It will gradually become apparent that feelings of intense suffering or upset are capable of purging the infection, that clash with painful reality seeming to wake them up from their trance and reduce or eliminate physical symptoms. The more intense the distress, the more effective it will be. Fortunately, this heightening of Aion spiritual energy has the added consequence of making empathic communion connections far more acute. Instead of just transmitting and receiving emotions and thoughts, Aions will find themselves more easily able to enter the delusions and memories of their kindred, drawing them out and manipulating them for this purpose. The catch is that they will only be able to access what is on the surface of the other Aion's mind.

When an infection is reduced or expelled this way, the energy causing it seems to be dispelled from the city, lowering the intensity of its ambient effects. While similar can be done to Veneran citizens to help treat them, the energy will not leave, and will either go into the Aion casting it out or return to the nebulous source of Innocence and eventually infect someone else. Something about going through the Aions specifically seems to act as a filter, as unpleasant of a way as it is to help.

IN THE SILENCE

For those unlucky enough to develop complete, or near complete, infections (IE. a full Innocence petrification) a presence will awaken within them regardless of their Legacy. It will urge them to join with it, to embrace the peace it offers, and to become the extensions of their will in this ravaged world. With an infection of this intensity, there will be little they can do but to hear its call. What exactly this would ultimately entail is unclear, but there is the sense that his entity is looking to join with you on a spiritual level. If your character becomes infected to this degree please let us know under the Committed Actions toplevel below along with the context of that transformation and whether or not they are being cured from it. You may receive some additional information in return!

QUESTIONS

What is the best way for Aions to travel to Venera?
The quickest travel paths are for Kenoma to take a boat from Achamoth, which will take about a day, and for Pleroma to teleport to the Celebrant's shrine and take either a carriage or river boat to the city (there are offshoot rivers not marked on the setting map). The riverboats would be the faster option option of the two, and would also take about a day. The carriages/delivery carts would be slower and take a couple days, but have relay access to horses and therefore could keep going overnight. Characters with flight are also able to use that, though flying right into the city might cause a bit of spectacle. Then again, none of the local law enforcement is eager to chase you at the moment.

Are Veneran civilians experiencing the same symptoms as the Aions?
Veneran civilians are only experiencing apathy/loss of self/daydreaming and maybe the loss of pigments/color for advanced cases. The more body horror orientated effects are Aion only and are being caused by their body's spiritual makeup.

Can 'cured' Aions be reinfected?
Yes! Even if cured or treated, symptoms can return or worsen again. This will keep happening until the build up of Innocence energy in Venera is entirely expunged, at which point the illness will fade away across the continent. Whether or not the Aions mere presence will be enough to trigger that is yet unknown, but it does seem to be helping lessen the effects suffered by the civilians, at least.

How long does the infection period last in Aions?
Chronologically, we are considering the infection period of the plot to last 2-3 days.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Y-Yeah, of course we have to figure this out! It's important for... For everyone here." For Achamoth and the Kenoma and their cause, but all the others of this world as well. Until things are actually in place for making a new one... Everyone should get to be in as much comfort as they can manage, and that includes food.

"But... Before the Regent took over Venera, it was ruled by another Aion? Just a century ago?" That seems brief, to Alphys, for all she's only a third that old - it comes with having a king who'd ruled for centuries before her. "Did it... Uh, did it sound like there's a lot of historical precedent for that? Various Aions ruling the city...?"

It might go even further in explaining the weird attitudes from the people of Venera. Not just fear of the Regent, but memory of the previous rulers who they replaced. She knows of the shrines, having woken at one... But that seemed more ancient history than that.

"I cannot say; I wasn't given enough time to make my research comprehensive. That is a topic that must be explored further upon our return." If she is already wondering where he was then certainly others were too.

Speaking of that, he heads for the door. Finding a vessel may become difficult if he waited until later in the day to start this journey.

"This is one such case where a more intimate understanding of our new world would help us achieve our goal." It's said with a light sigh. He has tried to read more about Horos' history, but there is only so many hours in the day.

She hums with a disappointed but understanding agreement - drills and practice were never part of her routine before, and recovering from the exertion after just eats up more of her time. But it sounds like he's hinting at her, and research is one thing she's more confident of.

"Well, that kind of reading... It's f-fine with me. Especially since, well..." She releases a pang of longing for the internet, and the near endless distraction it once provided. "A-Anyway! I'll definitely help with that."

"Oh?" Being offered help isn't expected but it is welcome nonetheless. Far be it from him to be capable of reading everything on his own. "Is researching such topics something you're accustomed to?"

"Of course!" It bursts out of her, between an eagerness to prove herself and an excuse to do something less at risk of combat. "I-I used to do research, um, on the humans in my world! Their cultural customs, their combat capabilities, all I could find. Since, uh, eventually we were going to war with them..."

She trails off, partly since that's something she's been trying not to put into words itself - even if it would explain why she goes tense around some of the more human-looking people. Partly, too, because that initial research slid more and more over time into making excuses to read comics and watch cartoons, lounging around in her pajamas with snacks. But at least some of the time had sincerely been on research, and her old title wasn't Doctor for mere formality's sake.

Their customs are a typical vein of research, but to follow that with their combat abilities makes for an unusual combination of research topics. Ultimately, war is noted but not commented on positively nor negatively. Instead, he simply takes her up on the offer. "Then I should be full glad to welcome the help." Ultimately, it makes for less work for him to do.

With that matter settled, he does make sure to add one more topic of conversation. "I should like to hear more about your world when there is time to spare. I have seen glimpses of your memories, but I suspect there is more to it."

"S-Sure? I guess, sometime, when we're not all busy??" Alphys stammers, relieved he didn't ask any of the things she feared, but no less surprised by the question itself. "I-I mean, I hope you didn't see e-everything."

Bad enough she lived out some of her worst memories, leaking them out while being distracted by bits of others' lives. That all the visiting Kenoma were able to peer at it without that distraction...

Well, he's the one who at least warned her it'd be hard. It was Binghe who didn't explain anything properly before getting her to drink that stuff.

"Oh?" His voice dips into darkly teasing her, and one can practically hear a smile in his tone. "Does that mean you have something to hide?"

It's enough to draw a startled, flustered laugh out of her, and she volleys back. "L-Like anybody doesn't!"

There's an amused hum from the other end. "So it seems." He doesn't ask, but that is something to consider inquiring about in the future.

He changes the topic back to their initial point of conversation. "I will be in the city soon enough. Keep me appraised of the situation if anything changes."

"Yeah, of course!" Alphys is willing enough to leave it at that, the better for him to leave sooner, and the better for him not to tease or pry further.

Unfortunately, she won't follow through on doing so - by that time, she'll have run afoul of Meteion and others, and started passing the favor forward. But at this point, she honestly means it.

EVENT #3: THE COST OF INNOCENCE

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