westwhere | the coup

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the coup

Hello to our last Big Event of the year, covering 2-22 December and also subbing as our test drive.

Current players can play here or make separate logs & network posts. TDM tourists are confined to this playground, but can include network prompts in their top levels.

If you’re trialling a character, you can apply them until 21 December without a game invite. TDM characters can participate in the sign-up quests without taking up a slot, but cannot vote for event outcomes.

DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING?

Taravast’s civilians take to spirited protests and seize the Palace of the Doxe. They intend to redirect Doxe Bonaccorso Spina’s attention and resources to his people, livelihoods suffered in recent undead attacks. The Merchant sends ‘help’ to oust the Doxe.

Amid the chaos, Vannozza Spina seeks to apprehend her grandfather. Her cousin Macaluso, Bonaccorso’s prisoner, can be liberated. Outgunned, outmanned and outnumbered, Bonaccorso orders the city burned down.

TDM TOURISTS | OLD TIMERS | COMMON: THE COUP | NOTES

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TDM TOURISTS: THE BARREN BONES

You wake up in shallow water, other supine bodies beside you. The nearby occupants of a desert outpost greet you with a coarse translation and communication device and introduce you to their leader, the Merchant. He rescues otherworlders who were summoned to serve as weapons for warring undead factions, sending them east — where forgotten beacons can return them home.

A. A FRIEND IN NEED

Unconscious new arrivals are delivered every few days, recovered from the dunes. They are submerged in oasis waters. Some characters wake weaker of body and mind, struggling to focus their thoughts or their supernatural abilities — effects that recede within one-three days. Others are plagued by a drowning sensation for one-two days.

■ Help fellow newcomers as they regain their strength with sparring, a calming voice or a warm meal.

■ Newcomers must share tents and carry out camp tasks: hold the night watch, man fires, kill viper nests and excessively large scorpions or, fate help everyone if you’re related to Xie Lian, cooking.

B. A FRIEND IN DEED

Soon enough, the Merchant reveals more otherworlders are assigned in the nearby magical citadel of Taravast, which is on the brink of civil uprising against the ruling Doxe Bonaccorso Spina. Your fellows need you, cavalry.

The Merchant sends the fresh conscripts on a three-day journey to Taravast across a desert canyon, granting supplies, horses or seats in shared carts.

■ Fresh horses wait at specific landmarks, but some suppliers trade steeds for the better coin of rich merchants evacuating Taravast. If you end up stranded, find help.

■ Weather forecast: frequent, cruel sand storms that challenge even expert riders. Collect anyone who gets lost in the dunes — particularly near wild cougars.

■ Some Taravast refugees crowd or pretend accidents to loot your horses. A select few diplomatic convoys offer assistance, or try to confiscate your rides.

» THE LOUD CROWD

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OLD TIMERS: THE STREETS, RALLYING

Dissenting necromancers, healers and civilians begrudge Doxe Bonaccorso’s failure to ensure their safety and distribute repairs funds fairly. Many believe that Bonaccorso has been manipulated by Macaluso and Vannozza.

The initially peaceful protests exacerbate into after several days: demonstrators frequently come to blows with city guards around the 20:00 evening curfew. Protesters carry sharp and blunt weapons, small explosive talismans or banners. Some are ghost-summoning necromancers, others are sorcerers who command a small array of elemental spells.

■ Protesters try to enthusiastically conscript passers-by to their cause. Some assume characters leaving the Doxe Palace are nobility and try to kidnap and ransom them for an audience with Bonaccorso.

■ Merchants and the last few of Macaluso’s foreign suitors begin their exodus from Taravast and ask you to serve as escort in exchange for compensation.

■ Palace guards retaliate with disproportionate violence when they catch crowds without magic users or experienced combatants. Rescue some demonstrators — but prepare to run — or scout the streets so they can escape.

■ The clashes separate some Taravast residents from food, commodities and healers. Be a friend.

■ In rare good news, protesters share with Wrathion and Slick their battle and coordination signs and passcodes.

■ Some crowd contingents are less spirited about this endeavour — try talking them out of this revolution business.

■ Characters without powers or weapons can resort to the arsenal Wrench and Aang recovered from looters: daggers, maces, swords, bows and five-six man-sized water serpents, who heed those who first summon them out of their ~~Poke~~ balls.

» » THE BANNER MUST ADVANCE

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ALL TOGETHER NOW: THE BARRICADES

Within a week of the first demonstrations, the protesters and Doxe Bonaccorso’s guards have devolved into vicious and regular violence. Civilian demonstrators have been joined by many necromancers wielding fresh corpses, minor sorcerers, healers and a handful of expert combatants, assigned by sympathetic gentry. Bonaccorso’s men conduct regular inspections and arrests. The demonstrators meanwhile set traps of magical ice and explosives.

Led by the lawyer Giacomo Zanardo and the healer Sebastiano Bianchi, the mob seeks to storm the Palace of the Doxe and persuade Bonaccorso back to his senses, which have surely been corrupted by his absent nephew Macaluso and niece Vannozza.

RISE ONE, RISE ALL

Existing characters are soon joined by fresh reinforcements. Everyone receives the Merchant’s transmission:

”It has emerged, vocally, that Doxe Bonaccorso Spina no longer serves the interests of his city, his people or our contingent. The most efficient recourse is to depose him. How, and whether you choose to instate one of his successors, is of no consequence to me. I send a wave of our new otherworldly associates to assist you. Fair fortune.”

■ Zanardo and Bianchi organise a last bout of midnight merrymaking before the Palace attack at dawns. Meet your reinforcements at a… large, cold, rudimentarily decorated warehouse in one of Taravast’s dodgiest district. Close your eyes and smell the salted fish.

■ Old and new characters can collect further plain weapons from rioters. Slick receives command of five NPC protesters.

■ Pacifists can scout the Palace of the Doxe to report back the watch patterns, or try to persuade servants to open the gates.

■ Come dawns, protesters seize the Palace, meeting fresh waves of Bonaccorso’s guards in the gardens before advancing inside.

■ The Merchant informs Eleven and Shen Qingqiu they are required back in Taravast. He cuts a deal with local warlord Anurr, who supplies two transporters orbs that will transport the duo immediately.

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PARALLEL QUESTS (OPEN TO ALL)

Because of overlapping timelines, your character can only be signed up for one of the three following missions. Each quest will be capped at 15 characters: first come, first served. You can vote on game polls irrespective of what mission your character pursues.

NOTE: TDM tourists can participate in the quests and do not need to sign up. They can include prompts for one of the parallel quests in their top-level prompts, or can tag around. However, TDM tourists don't qualify for the NPC RNG draw and cannot vote on Bonaccorso's fate.

A. LET IT BUUUUUURN, LET IT BURN

Counting the last hours of his reign, Doxe Bonaccorso Spina takes to the great balcony of his Palace to address the masses:

”My people, my loved ones. Twenty-two years ago, I came before you, a man ruined: my son and my daughter taken from me. Is there any pain greater than burying your children? Only today: to see the blood of your blood and the blood of your nation, united against you. To know your nephew made weapon of a blade and your niece of her gold, and your people are indiscriminate in their arsenal. You tear down my doors, sirs! You bloody my halls! And when you stand against your Doxe, you stand against Taravast. And why? Because I turned my eye from you for scant moments. Spoiled! Shameless! All I ever intended were more years in your service. For we must strike a permanent truce with the dead. To survive. Know that even now, I see you: you are strong, gifted, beautiful. How it breaks my heart to know I must bury my children again.”
After this, Bonaccorso orders the 20 court witches of Bessis currently at the Palace rain down fire from the northern and southern towers, unto the masses.

■ Current Bessis leader Margherita Moretti is instructed to call her sister witches to Taravast’s greater walls, where they might direct further fire upon all who oppose Bonaccorso.

■ Ten witches will climb each Palace tower, targeting protesters. Sign up and discuss how characters can slip the witches sleeping herbs with their water, kill them, feign fresh orders from Moretti, etc.

■ The witches of Bessis have historically received the patronage of the imprisoned Macaluso. Many recently retreated from court, embittered by Bonaccorso’s support for the rival Attaryl. Moretti is reasonable, if loyal, and possesses a conscience. She rides out to bring further Bessis assistance.

■ Team up, pursue and capture Moretti down the chaotic streets of Taravast. Two characters — chosen on 10 December through RNG draw from the signed-up crew — can participate in a NPC thread to talk her down.

B. OFF WITH THE OLD MAN’S HEAD

Informed by Wrath and Wen Qing’s faction that her grandfather prepared to possess her body, Vannozza Spina moves to apprehend Bonaccorso.

Following his speech, the Doxe holes up in his quarters, guarded by several dozen Attaryl witches — masters of illusions, telekinesis and mind control. They will try to briefly steal or dim characters’ senses, thrall them into seeing their allies as enemies and crumble walls and statues upon them. The witches are easily defeated through physical means.

■ Characters can charge in militarily or infiltrate by presenting as palace staff or Attaryl reinforcements. Those who previously assisted servants can receive spare uniforms and directions. Sign up here.

■ In-game characters can vote until 15 December to decide Bonaccorso’s fate. Two characters drawn via RNG can share a NPC thread for a short discussion with him. Wen Qing and Wrath can optionally have a separate talk thread, given their participation in Vannozza’s plotline.

C. SAVE THE HIMBO, SAVE THE WORLD

Macaluso Spina’s attempt to persuade his Doxe grandfather of the merits of retirement condemned him to house arrest, awaiting trial on charges of assassination. He is secluded in his wing of the Palace of the Doxe, guarded by two dozens of Bonaccorso’s men and by illusion traps devised by Attaryl witches.

Characters can hear footsteps, men giving chase, the muffled voices of Macaluso or their companions, all unseen. A mirrored hall leads you back to its beginning, as your reflection mocks you — until you break a mirror.

■ Characters who have helped Palace servants can receive tips on guard numbers and locations, or corridor shortcuts.

■ Sign up here. Two characters picked via RNG draw on 10 December can share a NPC thread to discuss Macaluso’s next steps. Alina Starkov can have an optional separate thread, for her involvement in Macaluso’s plot so far.

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QUESTIONS

TEST DRIVERS

OLD TIMERS

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A. A Friend in Need

I. [The thing is that Akira isn't even that surprised to find himself in a strange place. After first waking up in the Velvet Room however many months ago, he's almost used to this kind of thing - and definitely used to rolling with all the weirdness that's come with being the leader of the Phantom Thieves.]

[Still, this is a new one, and he pulls himself out of the water and shakes the droplets off his glasses. The fact that he's in his Shujin uniform doesn't really tell him much as to where he is - but he doesn't know what to do with the fact that he doesn't recognize anyone around him.]

[He manages to find something that looks like coffee, and he looks around - and then takes two cups toward one of the fires, where he offers the other to someone looking equally damp.]

You look like you just got here too.

II. [Without a weapon or his personas, Akira doesn't feel equipped to deal with any of the monster hunting - but he does put in some time keeping watch, gathering wood to keep the fires going, and running any other errands people need done. For a quiet high schooler, he seems self-sufficient.]

[He's done some asking around, looking for the others, but no one seems to recognize the descriptions he gives - and he doesn't know how to feel about it. Anytime new arrivals wander up to the camp, he scans over them, looking for familiar faces - and just getting more troubled when they're always strangers.]

[At night, he asks someone in his tent...]

What's it like where you're from?

B. A Friend In Deed

[Akira is the very picture of a new rider, and he wishes it wasn't so obvious. For not the first time since getting here, he wishes for Joker. It feels much easier to deal with the unexpected with the rebel's uniform and mask.]

[Fortunately, he's always been a quick learner, and by the time they really get on the road, he and the horse seem to have come to an understanding - or the horse has enough self-preservation to stay with the group and avoid the cougars he's been warned about.]

[He does take the reins when they come across a group of refugees who seem to have a broken wheel on their wagon. He's wary enough of strangers to give it a second look, and he steers the horse to the other side of the path when he notices the shine of metal under ragged clothing. If anyone drifts toward them, he calls out.]

Don't get too close.

C. Rise One and All

[The fact that Akira still hasn't found anyone familiar and the events of the last few days lead to him mostly keeping to the edges of the party. He's still trying to get the lay of things, still trying to figure out whether this is a palace or some other place he's ended up after everything went wrong with Okumura. He won't avoid people if they approach him but he is an introvert at heart.]

[He does eventually find someone who looks like they've been here a while to ask...]

Can you tell me about what's going on here?

[He's heard the official take on it all, of course, but he would like to know from someone who's actually been dealing with it.]

D. Save the Himbo, Save the World

[Akira has at least obtained a couple of daggers, which makes him feel better about the fact that he doesn't have his personas at hand. The fact that he has realized his Third Eye is working means he feels better about the idea of trying to get through the illusions the witches have put down.]

[The third time they end up at the end of the same hallway, he sighs and stops, focusing. After a moment, he huffs out a laugh - and then approaches the nearest mirror, pulling a dagger from its sheath to turn it in his hand - and then neatly applying it to the mirror, pommel first. The mirror shatters, and he grins to himself.]

This way.

E. Wildcard
[Have something else in mind? Hit me up at

cotume27 or on Discord@cotume27#5389!]

[ kaneki is certainly very new; he supposes that is easy to spot, given how newcomers carry themselves after arriving to a whole new world in a whole different universe, surrounded by creatures most of them had never seen before. Completely out of place. And of course kaneki is part of such group too, no matter how tense he is during this whole thing.

After he returns from a quick look around their camp - unlike Akira, he is capable of fighting off any creatures trying to approach, as well bandits - kaneki returns to one of the tents to sit down. Sleep is impossible to him, but he should get to know the others on the same journey he is, and this seems like a good time to do so.

At least Akira speaks first. Since Kaneki is a bit of a wallflower and a bit too introvert to start the conversation on his own, he is glad for that. He smiles a little. ]

Ah... there was no magic. People live in big city with tall buildings and civilization and technology has advanced well beyond traveling with horses.

[Akira tilts his head to listen, smiling a little. He's really pretty introverted himself, but he can at least be friendly. Blame his part-time jobs.]

I have never actually ridden a horse. I mostly took the train everywhere.

[He's honestly a little worried about that part of this, but he's figured out weirder things. Riding a horse can't be that hard, considering how many people do it.]

[ the word is recognized and kaneki answers instinctively with relief. Someone seems to be familiar with trains and that is a good thing to hear, but at the same time it could be old trains too and this person could be from the "past" comparatively to Kaneki's own timeline. ]

Ah... subway for me. [ similar!

kaneki smiles ] I have tried ridding one of the horses, but it tried to bite my face, so I figured it's best not to push my luck with them.

[Joker nods. Very similar!] Yeah, subway trains.

[He can't help but laugh a little, though he's not trying to be unkind. It's a funny mental image.] I will try to watch out for that. Maybe you should stick with the wagons?

[ similarity is good. After all, Kaneki feels like he was sent back in time (no, this is certainly more like an isekai) with everything he has learned and seen about this world so far.

He shakes his head softly after ] Or perhaps it was just a bad match between the horse and I. [ who knows, maybe kaneki's horse is just not one to be tamed, or one willing to carry a creature like Kaneki. It does not mean every horse is the same and some may be much more friendly ]

[Akira knows the feeling on that front, too. He's still not sure this isn't some new twist in his 'rehabilitation' considering their failure on their last mission, but well. With no sign of Igor or the twins, he doesn't even know where to start.]

[He tilts his head a little, acknowledging that as a possibility.] Maybe. Did you try other horses? I know the first one I was on was pointed out to me as being good for people who had never seen a horse before.

[And while he had seen a horse before, that had basically been the extent of his experience.]

Ah... No, not really. I didn't want to sound demanding. [ Kaneki is polite like that. It's probably easier for him to walk, anyway, specially with the threat of sandstorms and creatures that may attack the group.]

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure how to address these people. He seem familiar with all of this but... [ Kaneki is not familiar with anything at all and he is just kind of lost]

I think they're interested enough in getting us to... wherever we're going that they would try and work something out for you.

[Akira shakes his head.] I'm just... good at new situations.

[He has had way too much experience with getting dropped into weirdness with no warning whatsoever. This is just another day in his life as a Phantom Thief, honestly.]

Akira Kurusu/Joker ~ Persona 5 ~ Tourist!

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