westwhere | the scattering

Entry tags:

the scattering

And now, hard siege during Alem’s first log event, covering 27 January to 12 February.

This Arc relies on information sharing and troubleshooting solutions, whether to keep the watch towers standing, find the Reaper, hold back Rathakku or evacuate civilians. Don’t be shy!

As a refresher, character have individual assignment & notes — but rest easily, they can largely go anywhere in Alem and play out any prompt below.

Click each header for scenarios!

THE SCATTERING

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Alem’s chilly welcome includes a gift of weapons, clothes and meagre food provisions. You are quickly given your posts and grudgingly tolerated by fortress natives, many of whom accuse you of collusion with Rathakku or the merchant guilds. Expect unkind tests or teasing from soldiers who want you to prove your worth.

■ SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS: rare beds and hard pallets in the Keep barracks, sharing broad rooms infantrymen. Alternatively, sleep in the Wards, with refugees or the sick.

■ ARSENAL: you receive serviceable weapons or inherited clothes — ragged, over/undersized and perhaps livened by fleas.

■ FOOD: scant, dry, hard and prioritised for the weak, young, sickly or actively fighting. Scarce additional resources, such as berries and deer meat, can be procured from the nearby forests on the lower half of the mountain.

■ ACCESS: characters can go to anywhere, except the Room of Seals. Entering the Watch Towers will be discouraged during attacks, unless you were assigned these posts.

■ Between 7-10 February, Rathakku will Claw — meaning necromancers, the dead and those who are incredibly sensitive to life and death are vulnerable to his thrall. They could be conscripted into his armies, if they exit the fortress or linger long outside. Ghosts might woo them to enter the mountain forests, and they will itch with wanderlust and a sense of incompletion. Comment here with an idea of what you'd like you character to do/a> if they are lured to Rathakku’s side.

■ NPCs: each fortress level has a designated NPC you can reach out to. Deimar will additionally be visiting the Watch Tower, following Stephen Strange’s taunts.

THE WATCH TOWERS

The first and most war-torn line of defence. The watch towers keep Alem standing — fend off their attackers.

EASTERN TOWER

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■ Assigned to the Eastern Tower: Jinx, Vi, Hermione and Chu Wanning. Medic: Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy.

■ Harpies frequently charge here, using their blade-sharp claws and deep fangs. They are humanoid but carnivorous and expressly prey on tower watchers. The scent of blood lures them — so Bones should quickly bandage wounds.
■ Bad weather hides their attacks. Beware the mists of 29 January and the blizzards of 3-6 February.

■ Cut the harpies’ legs if they fly away with you — better to risk a hard fall into the mountain’s snowy than being dragged into their nests.

■ They are vulnerable to loud sounds and vibrations. Set off the great, rusted tower bells to sound the alarm and repel them.

WESTERN TOWER

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■ Assigned to the Western Tower: Eleven, Xie Yun, Kahl and Eda. Medic: Sarah Bishop.

■ Flurries of arrows frequently rain down, plain, fire or poison-tipped. They are shot in two broad attacks (morning and evening) by orc archers.

■ Sarah receives a kit of local ointment antidotes, but must make haste — the sickness spreads quickly and paralyses limbs. (Effects disappear over 1-6 hours, once the antidote is applied).

■ A rare few arrows are tipped with hallucinogen substances that trigger paranoid visions.

■ Orcs may try to scale this tower, using climbing hooks. Push them down.

SOUTHERN TOWER

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■ Assigned to the Southern Tower: Jon Snow, Stephen Strange, Red and Finn. Medic: Wen Qing.

■ Irenia, Frost’s Scourge, an ancient, extremely large but slow dragon stops first at the Southern Tower before proceeding to other watch posts. She will turn back, if she is stopped here.

■ The dragon breathes down frost that can paralyse you in place, or freeze limbs. Wen Qing must prioritise warming the affected.

■ A few anti-frost shields have been supplied, but their magic wanes after a few hours. Use them as a last resort.

■ Irenia’s hide is tough and leathery, but she can be deflected by continuous attack. She no longer seems to hear or see as sharply.

■ She largely flies by, breathes ice and tries to pick up watchers in her great maws, then crack their bones or throw them down on hard stone.

■ Repel her for three consecutive days and she will not return for a week.

NORTHERN TOWER

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■ Assigned to the Northern Tower: Kamala Khan, Wanda Maximoff, Merrin and Jiang Cheng. Medic: Anduin.

■ Demons draw large catapults near the fortress walls and throw strong projectiles at this tower — stone, large steel balls or even human or demonic.

■ The worst missiles comprise stones alight with ‘living fire’ — an extraordinarily hot blaze that can quickly incinerate tissue. Anduin should immediately attend to burns.

■ The tower is exceptionally weathered and structurally unsound, marked by large, destabilising holes. Kerasstone asks you to fix the infrastructure or guard his repairmen.

■ The ongoing damage sometimes triggers quakes in the fragile tower — hold on and don’t fall crumbling to your deaths.

■ Use the one-man crossbows and range weapons available, or the fixed large tower crossbows to shoot back and destroy the catapults.

THE KEEP

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Life at court, when the knives come out: barracks, royal halls and Crown Prince Haiva’s medical quarters await.

KINGDOM COME

The court of Alem bustles with rival proposals: the supporters of Crown Prince Haiva want to surrender the citadel, while proponents of former Regent Thyvault seek to raise the remaining armed forces in a desperate last stand against Rathakku. King Deimar, mere months in his rule, has opted to evacuate convoys and resettle them, after sealing away any last chance of Rathakku accessing hell’s gates.

■ The supporters of Haiva, Thyvault and Deimar wage frequent wars of words that accuse Thyvault of Deimar of usurpring rule, and Haiva of being too weak to lead.

■ Thyvault’s men slyly wonder if Deimar killed the beautiful woman he was seen wooing mere months ago in the fortress grounds. Proof of her death or continued survival would benefit the three causes.

■ The woman was last seen chased by a fair-haired rider into the frosted forests that Rathakku has peopled with monstrous wolves and undead Alem huntsmen. Interrogate hunters & commoners or track her down.

■ Tempers boil over Jan. 29-Feb. 5, with arguments frequently devolving into fights and shallow stabbing. As ‘supporters’ of the three gentlemen, you should defend their cause — but do pull back blows before you kill each other.

■ Deimar punished brawlers with a few days of penitent confinement in the barracks, where you are expected to reflect on your sins and attitude, and certainly not join the cliques of heavily drinking men playing dares and cards. Hold your liquor, survive the exceptionally spicy Alem meals and take advantage of the general inebriation to ask your questions of the brass — without showing your horror when you hear them boast that Thyvault’s men drove the local ice mermaid population extinct.

IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?

The Haiva’s medics ( Bones, Sarah Bishop, Anduin and Wen Qing) are repeatedly called in to inspect his fits of sudden and elusive sickness. He exhibits a varied multitude of bizarre symptoms when his healers visit him:

■ Bones finds Haiva is a haemophiliac, his skin brittle like paper.

■ For Sarah Bishop, Haiva is overwhelmingly feverish, battling an unseen infection.

■ Wen Qing sees patches on Haiva’s skin that resemble decaying, moulding or gangrene.

■ Anduin notices Haiva’s skin feels clammy, his breathing stalled, as if his body were entering rigor mortis. He is very much alive.

Haiva is always weak, but gratefully and mysteriously cured of his symptoms within hours of his consultation. You can start a thread with him!

Info sharing with the medics’ club is caring!

THE CROSSING

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The bustling, stifling and overheated Crossing reunites the main ground-level gates and corridors of Alem’s castle. Merchants traverse the halls, volunteering their wares at exorbitant prices, while former Regent Thyvault leads the departing troops.

HAGGLE GAGGLE

■ Colluding merchants offer their less-than-stellar goods at heinous rates. You get 100 coins to haggle long, hard and to the bone for food, cloth and maps, amid war inflation. Offer your hair, your virtue, the ugly side of your fist as needed. No one will mind if you liberate a few wares.

■ Two of the most prominent merchants — boastful Batthour of the grains and stern Eles, vendor of maps, silks and steel — openly despise each other. Their apprentices frequently start brawling — stay out of their way or stoke the clashes…

■ Batthour and Eles are both open to trade, but seem distinctly disdainful of Alem, expressing pleasure from profiteering in its downfall. Group up to raise coin or other goods to trade, then put in your best offer. The next few Alem convoys require 500kg of wheat and at least three maps of eastward provinces to resettle.

THE WAR IN WORDS

■ WHEN IT GRAINS, RED POURS: Under Thyvault’s leadership, Alem’s scouts and infantry gather in the Crossing for final instructions then advance into Rathakku’s territory. You can join them on a mission to the Ivory plains at the bottom of the mountain, where a few frozen storage houses still have summer grains. Steal back the supplies, bypassing snow-buried traps and Rathakku’s lingering feral creatures.

■ King Deimar has prepared new missives for Rathakku. Multiple envoys can group up to ensure delivery down the mountain and into the warlord’s encampment in the Tattered Highlands. Your white flag buys limited patience from Rathakku’s demonic armies. Only two characters can directly interact with the warlord — Sign up for one of two spots by 23:55 GMT on 30 January. Note: Rathakku should be approached lightly.

THE WARDS

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The ill-lit Wards house the wounded, young, crippled or vulnerable of Alem, alongside those preparing to evacuate the fortress in upcoming convoys. Where there is sickness and overcrowding, expect poor provisions, the astringent scent of antiseptic, and a sense of residual decay. The lucky few sleep on pallets — while most dwellers take the hard ground and share dry bread. Soft-spoken Crown Prince Haiva visits regularly.

THINK OF THE CHILDREN

■ Weak civilians are often targeted by soldiers, who are frustrated by sharing their resources with ‘leeches’ who do not defend the citadel. Intervene to protect the vulnerable and redistribute any food that is unfairly confiscated. Prince Haiva will lend his scarce authority to correct any reported wrongdoings.

■ Learn to supply first aid, console orphaned children or widow(er)s and ease the spirits of those petrified by the recent murders.

■ A convoy prepares to leave on 9 Feb, with another due on 15 Feb. Pack the scant effects of the weak and plead for the gold or charity of the Keep’s gentry. Whatever resources you gain will greatly help the survival odds of those who resettle.

■ Inevitably, death visits some of the wounded. Professional grievers and coarse embalmers perform cleansing and mourning rites for survivors. Help them, or participate in the local habit of sharing tales of your most tragic sorrows, to distract them from their own.

WATSON ON DUTY

■ The investigative summary, as civilians can share them: five unrelated deaths took place over the past 11 weeks. Some speak superstitiously of a Reaper, who punishes the people of Alem for abandoning their fortress and sacred duty to protect the gate to hell.

■ The victims were all men aged 22-35 of diverse appearances and backgrounds. Some had minor injuries. They were all found without marks of wounding or sickness, bearing a white string bound to their wrists. One of the men was a foreign merchant.

■ Senior sorceress Althea searched the site and cleansed bodies, finding no evidence of magical interference.

■ Haiva has reinforced guards, but Deimar seems indifferent. Thyvault believes this is only an inevitably level of mundane crime.

■ Some nights, you might wake to the haunting song of a plangent woman. You enter a state of dreamy, confused hypnosis, drawn to a narrow, steep staircase you had not glimpsed before. You fumble towards the lake caves of the Gut’s Bind. Even the intrusive voices of Alem tell you to snap out of it and awaken — but your best bet is a companion’s help.

■ The staircase cannot be found again, come morning. The call is fainter for women, and does not affect the same person more than one-two nights.

■ Guards, sorcerers and civilians can answer your questions — but prepare your bribes and wooing.

THE GUT’S BIND

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It’s nice, dark and quiet in here, barring the comforting thrum of the forges. Paladins and sorcerers are hard at their elusive work, reinforcing the Room of Seals. Access to the Forges, mines and glacier lake caves remains liberal.

LAKES, MINES, MAYHEM

■ THE MINES: Characters deployed to find new escape routes find a series of corridors leading into the previously bustling gold mines, where ore resources remain well supplied. The territory is overwhelmingly shaky, with mine shafts and structures prone to collapse. They appear dusty, brittle, husked and far older than their actual age. Go deep enough and you can find sheets haphazardly strewn about and the remains of partly devoured demons.

■ THE LAKES: Saunter into a series of four interconnected ice lake caves, where the brutal cold is viciously wounding and pervasive. The first three caves give you no trouble, beyond ridiculously sharp icicles waiting to drop down. As you enter the fourth cave, you find gleaming stretches of golden, gleaming… scales that float on the lake waters. Grab one to study — but beware the starved creature that guards them.

■ THE FORGES: some entirely abandoned, some functional, all well-equipped at this time. Settle down alone, or in the company of Kerasstone’s people — the old blood that preceded even Alem’s settlement and holy seal in the mountains.

■ Keep an ear out for sudden sounds or unexpected steps behind you, as you travel the tighter and tighter passageways to find or shovel new exit routes through the mountain: some of Rathakku’s creatures appear to have… wandered in. They camouflage as stone and lay perfectly still in wait of their prey, before descending. They’re vulnerable to strong light and a jolly smiting.

LOCK YOUR DOORS

■ Paladins and sorcerers enter the heavily warded and barricaded Room of Seals every few hours. They emerge exhausted, their resources drained. Some also bear heavy gashes.

■ Characters are barred from entering and incarcerated for a day in one of the Keep’s jails or brought before Galatea’s judgement, if they attempt to sneak in.

■ Groans and screams can be occasionally heard from within, followed by spikes in the sense of deathliness of the place. Some paladins are never seen exiting.

■ You have one chance to enter, at midnight on 1 February, when the Gut’s Bind erupts into calls for healers to attend an emergency. Collapsed paladins are urgently pulled out, while sorcerers attempt to ward the room before ultimately fleeing to help their brethren. You can infiltrate and stay inside for 20 minutes before the stoked anger of the room completely overwhelms you, and you begin to bodily attack everyone and everything around you. This is a dangerous route: check in for one of three findings scenarios.

QUESTIONS

Threaded | Flat

Rathakku is still sad everyone's swiping left.

Ah, beloved admin!

Comment here with an event-relevant starter for the NPC of your choice, or hit up the NPC inbox!

To make sure there's time to thread things out, last call is on 5 February, with threads looking to finalise by 10 February.

( ooc: happy to do prose or brackets so feel free to tag in w/ your preference as I have none, also happy to write up more specific starters for anyone who would like one or feel free to tag in with wild card/specific starters of your own. she'd be mostly in the south tower and the keep but probably would poke around below on occasion too )

Southern Tower

In the Underworld, Red never really fought in a battle. Cerberus was the strongest creature down there (other than Hades himself, other than the gods and goddesses who would visit). Mostly she was keeping spirits in line, sometimes fighting other Underworld creatures. This is different. This is war unrelenting.

And she enjoys the violence (of course, a monster would) beyond the initial fear of revealing herself to three other people in their group (and anyone else near though they don't seem to mind help regardless of the form it comes in). She warns with a, "I can turn into something pretty big and brutal too," before she just reveals what it is through actually shifting. Sometimes Cerberus is as big as a horse, sometimes a wolf, sometimes too small. Fire spills from three open and growling mouths, heat radiates from her.

She takes instructions well - lunging in for close attacks to the dragon as it ices, melting the ice with the fire that spills from her mouths, following team members requests for what they need. The thing is she can't hold the form forever. Then she's just in this far smaller body, hissing at the pain of her arm becoming iced over when her burst of super speed doesn't completely get her out of the way in time. "Godsdamnit."

And then there's the battle when she shifts into Cerberus, and it's too large, filling the limited space of the Tower, shoving anyone near, hurting her own allies unintentionally. So overcome by desire for violence and destruction, she doesn't even realize what she's done until after she has shifted back, the battle's over, and she sees the burns, the bruises. The apology sticks in her throat like the ice that coats the inside of the tower as she shivers, hand around her arm, curled into herself in a corner in the aftermath.

The Keep

Breaks are rare, but when she has them, she ends up down in the Keep. She listens in on the arguments, trying to make heads or tails of all of it, but it seems like people are disagreeing for the sake of it. It feels strange when the entirety of this army is attacking again and again, when Hell itself is apparently threatening to spill out from below.

She releases a long sigh as she chews on some meat from the rations they still have, gnawing at it, feeling ragged from the unending battle at the Tower.

"How do they fucking even have time for this? Starting to think none of 'em should rule cause they can't get their supporters to get their heads out of their asses."

In the barracks later, she lies there on her cot, finding it difficult to sleep at times, with the tension radiating through her body, tossing and turning like she's awaiting a battle. She looks to see if anyone else is having a hard time sleeping. Other times falling asleep in random spots so abruptly that she wakes up confused.

Network

So anyone looking into what the fuck happened to that woman who's missing? Given the way Deimar was calling every lady he disliked a whore even a dragon, can't say I'd be surprised if she ran away from him even into enemy territory.

Don't know how important this is to do when we're under constant attack, but y'know.

( she asked around but didn't receive any helpful information at all so she has nothing to share, just curious. some part of being in this place has her buzzing with the need to do something. )

[ Prompts going up in the comments! Plot with me here if none of them work! ]

[THINK OF THE CHILDREN]

I.
[Another war torn country, this one under siege, another occasion for Xie Lian to try to help without going too much while not dwelling on his own trauma.

Helping civilians in war times is always grueling work, and this is no exception. Food is scarce, but Xie Lian doesn't hesitate to give his share away whenever needed - nothing he cooked himself, these people don't need the added grief. he doesn't technically need the food and ignoring hunger pangs is mostly second nature to him.

And while he can understand the soldiers' feelings at times, having led several armies and been part of more himself, he also won't allow for the people to be brutalized for no reason.

Maybe it's because the child reminded him of Banyue. He just knows that the moment he saw the guard throw his arm back, his body moved on his own, and the fist landed straight in his face, and he stumbled backwards a bit - although not as much as you'd expect given the force of the blow and that clearly seems to puzzle the guard who is looking from his fist and flexing his fingers and trying to understand why he feels like he punched a stone wall to the lithe, teenager-looking man in the white robe wiping the blood from his nose.]

Even if you're angry you can't go around and hit children like that. You could have seriously hurt her.

[The soldier starts yelling at Xie Lian instead, who is keeping himself between the man and his former target and looking relatively unfazed, and that only seems to enrage the man more and he starts waving his spear..., and Xie Lian holds up his arm so that he won't take a spear to the face and the shaft of the weapon just.... breaks clean off.]

... Oh. Sorry. I didn't mean to do that.

[II.]

[The mourners have left, and so have the embalmers. Xie Lian did try to participate in their rituals, but apparently his stories of misery were too much even for people living in the middle of a siege and they packed up very quickly. The corpse was taken away too, but something is remaining.

Xie Lian is staring at the ghost.]

You should move on too. Everyone will take care of the rest. There's nothing to be gained from remaining here.

[WATSON ON DUTY]

[Xie Lian has herd talks of the murders - it would be hard not to. It's the one thing that has everyone scared stiff, mostly because the possibility of a killer in the midst of the crows is even more of an immediate danger that a siege. The victims are a bit scattered in type but the white string really seems to bind them together, figuratively. Yet Xie Lian also hasn't really been able to feel anything overly strange here - well compared to Serthica at leas. There's definitely something going on with the ghosts, but if there's an actual gate to hell here, it also isn't exactly surprising. Still, so far, Xie Lian hasn't seen anything that seems to indicate anything other than a possible human predator, unfortunately a very real possibility in times such as these.

So all there is to do is keep his ears and eyes open and try to appease people when he can.]

I am sure the guards will find who it is soon.

'Well they haven't so far! Fat lot of good they do anyway, King Deimar doesn't give a rat's ass about us down here ! The only guards we can rely on are the ones Prince Haiva sent down, and there ain't enough of them to protect all of us! I don't care what them lords arranged among themselves, Haiva should have been King! he knows how to treat the people properly!'

.... Uh, are you sure you should be saying this so loudly?

[LAKES, MINES, MAYHEM]

[Xie Lian isn't quite sure how he ended up on reconnaissance duty but he doesn't mind. He has a sword now. He doesn't need a sword, but it makes things easier.

Even the mines feel vaguely familiar, like Tonglu mountain and its caves, but the ways are convoluted, following ore paths rather than anything originally made for human evacuation. And also...

Xie Lian holds out an arm to stop whoever is following him.]

We're not alone here. And whatever is out there is not alive anymore.

Edited 2023-01-29 10:13 (UTC)

1. Eastern Tower: holler back girl

[ooc: Open to some Eastern Tower harpy fighting action for tower buddies, but loud enough to be heard by others as well if anyone wants to send a message. ]

It takes a few surprise attacks from the harpies for her to notice, while bombs detonate and the creatures recoil, that noise bothers them immensely. This time, she's got her wand out to to her throat, the spell to amplify her voice already cast, and she hollers intentionally.

Third Year Hermione would be proud of her for remembering how to still produce a wolf's cry; it's followed by a yell, and a very booming "LEAVE!"

Three harpies recoil, flying away before circling back; two of the braver ones spot the wizard and fly straight at her. The wand still at her throat means this part is projected loudly, too: "OH SHIT."

1.2. Eastern Tower: play fetch

[ooc; Technically open to whoever can catch her, but she can apparate herself mid-fall if necessary, if someone would rather just shoot at the harpy instead. If there's more than one thread in this prompt, I'm going to assume it's happened a few times, because Hermione...]

This is not a time for her to fear heights, but there's incentive there. She's been fighting the latest onslaught from the harpies, flinging more powerful hexes at them, wishing she'd learnt that Sectusempra spell from Harry after all, but it hasn't been enough.

Bet you wonder what that sound is. Well, it's the sound of wings flapping, as one creature has grabbed hold of the Eastern Tower witch and is carrying her off.

In a panic, she squirms to break out of the claws that hold her tight, a scream trapped in her throat, and at the last minute remembers she is a witch. She aims her wand poorly and sends a stinging hex at the harpy.

Good news: it works! The harpy recoils and drops Hermione.

Bad news: she is now in free fall.

2. The Wards: think of the children

[ooc: I enjoy pain, and Hermione has plenty of stories of personal tragic sorrow, so drop a request here if you want your character to overhear one.]

Death is no stranger to her, it hasn't been for a long time. She has heard the wailers come in, and their cries sink claws into her heart, fitting like a noose around her throat.

This time when it happens, there may be a child sitting next to her, watching with pained eyes as a family member is lost to sickness. For a moment, Hermione sits next to them helplessly, wanting to offer comfort but not knowing where to begin.

She remembers what the others do. She could try. She should be resting, by all means, but she wants to try.

"Would you find any comfort in a story of my own loss?"

The child nods, and Hermione nods back. She steels herself, and begins.

3. The Keep: downtime edition

It's late - or maybe it is early - and she has the look of someone who needs to sleep. Her station up on the Eastern Tower has been momentarily relieved, and she has been sent down to recover from the latest harpy attack.

She can't remember the last time she ate, and she doesn't think she could handle making tea right now, even if she still has some leaves in a bag in her bag. Hermione bumps into someone in the hallway, murmuring a brief apology behind her - you see, she's spotted an empty pallet, and she's going to take it.

"I'll just...yeah..." she mumbles as she sits down, then curls up in a ball and draws the hood of her pretty new cloak over her head. "I just need an hour. It's fine - wake me if they ring the alarm bells?"

If she has anyone sitting nearby or not is anyone's guess, she's on autopilot right now.

[ooc: Wilcard starters are welcomed! I ended up writing a lot of sad girl starters, but please feel free to drag her into something else. ]

★ kingdom come.

( she hadn't started the brawl, involved to help defend some of the other fights she'd been 'allied with' in her reconnaissance, paused momentarily at the fights. when they're pulled away, given time in the barracks it gives una a moment to gather again, to go through what she's heard, to watch again.

the food also doesn't hurt, perhaps being the most palatable thing that she's eaten so far. it's why she sits near a quieter group, watching some of the others as she eats and questions )

Have you heard anything about the rider?

( the rider and the woman being chased. finding her would potentially help )

★ haggle gaggle

( the maps interest her and whilst una knows that they might offer nothing useful they may at least give a better view as to where they are, perhaps offer somewhere to search for the woman and... information is always a good thing. but she's not approaching yet, getting a view of them, seeing how they respond and considering how to approach the deal )

We might only be able to get one map. ( that was also the issue. which one would be best? ) Ideas?

★ think of the children

( her first aid wasn't much but it was a gentle offer, a cleaning of wounds, a light bandage where something wasn't serious, and it gave perhaps a measure of trust, of a friendly face and an opening to a conversation. the children she spoke to didn't have too much to offer, though opinions and things that they'd seen were never turned away.

it isn't only children there though, una asking any there if they need any help, offering an ear or bandage, slowly moving through the crowd and listening to woes. some of the concerns she states she'll pass on, that she'll try and get some food brought over, others she doesn't know how to help with. these were always the situations she liked the least, the feeling of helplessness when there was very little that you could do )

01 KINGDOM COME - BARRACKS

( though he doesn't wear the uniform of haiva's soldiers, it's easy enough to fall back into that mindset and look like he belongs there. he doesn't even really know what he's looking for, just that he wants to leave the political shit to someone else.

here, he's able to listen to the conversations of the men that do the work, that are in the trenches and ignores.

and he's also right there when tempers come to a boiling point and two soldiers end up going at each other. ordinarily, bucky would just stay out of it but when one man grabs for a weapon, he steps in, blocking what he thinks might be a killing blow with his arm. metal hits metal, sparks emanating from the contact. he can hear the surprised murmur of other soldiers and he knows it's probably time to go.

he gives the soldier a shove, sending him tumbling into a wall and then tucks his hand back into his pocket. he's out of the barracks quickly, head down, trying to ignore the footsteps of soldiers behind him. )

02 THINK OF THE CHILDREN

( he hates this. he really hates this. kids shouldn't have to deal with all that's happening here and the fact that they are? he hates it. and there's really very little he can do about it. he's not someone who comforts and consoles. he leaves that to other people while he goes in and takes out the person who caused the problem.

except that some of the kids have caught sight of his metal arm and they're fascinated. they touch it and peer at it and, for a second, they forget all the shit that they're dealing wit.

normally, bucky doesn't really like people gawking and poking his arm but these are kids and they've never seen anything like this before so letting kids hang off his arm and lifting it up to slowly lift them in the air? he'll do that.

in the absence of punching the hell out of something, it's the least he can do. )

03 GUTS BIND - MINES

( there's a feeling of claustrophobia here that tries to burrow its way underneath his skin.

the quiet is unsettling and bucky doesn't really believe it either. while it might be quiet, there's no way this place is empty. something's lurking which makes bucky cautious, step by step.

when he comes to a wall. he presses a hand against it and then an ear. it's a thin wall and he thinks that if he —

with a quick jab, he throws a punch with his metal arm, fist connecting with the rock and shattering it. the ground seems to shake for a moment before it stills and, in front of him, another entrance opens up. )

Well, that worked.

04 WILDCARD

( for anything that's not written above. )

I. THE NORTHERN TOWER; don’t burn the witch

[Wanda doesn’t need any weapons to deal with the catapults. The large, stationary structures are easy targets for her magic–and if she was going to make any attempt to underplay her abilities while in this world, that all goes out the window as she lobs red bursts of magic from her hands into the enemy forces. Naturally, she does this while standing precariously on the broken skeleton of the tower, balanced on rotting wood and crumbling stone. There’s an unnatural red glow to her eyes, gaze focused ahead, and that might mean a tremor to the tower might send her stumbling back.

The biggest show of Wanda’s prowess comes when the catapults fire. Projectiles are caught in mid-air, red magic wrapped around them, before being flung back the way they came with no regard to previous momentum. This seems to take more effort than a mere head on attack, and now and then Wanda has to step down to catch her breath and wipe away the trickle of blood from her nose from the strain.

Of course, during one of these moments is probably when she’ll get singed by some living fire that manages to strike the tower.

From there, she’ll pay more mind to the tower itself, a great quick-save with her magic to make sure no one goes toppling over the side or gets crushed by falling stone, but eventually she’ll wonder aloud–]

Do we think this tower is going to survive this siege?

[Because she might just use parts of it as projectiles. Just saying. It’s an option.]

II. THE WARDS; sleepless nights and potential fights

[Sleep hasn’t been easy in a long time, and the danger so close keeps Wanda awake when most should be trying to sleep. She knows she’s not alone in that, but still wanders by herself through the rows of people trying to find some rest, stopping to console anyone who seems to be alone and especially frightened, citizen of the citadel or traveling companion.

After hearing about some unsavory behavior from soldiers, Wanda is on alert whenever not at the Northern Tower. And, once she encounters a soldier attempting to bully a young boy into giving him his days old portion of bread, she does make a scene by grabbing the man’s wrist.]

I don’t think so.

[Maybe someone intervene before Wanda turns him into a pig and feeds him to the women and children.

(She wouldn’t. Probably. She’s in a bad mood.) ]

III. WILDCARD; all the rest

[Hit me up or throw something at me! Wanda will be focused on the fighting but can be found wandering around to peek on merchants, see parts of the keep, etc. If we planned something specific and it can't fit in the above we can start it here or I can get us rolling.]

NORTHERN TOWER
Anduin casts a hasty shield over both himself and the man he had been tending, throwing himself on top of him to shield him bodily as the latest projectile finds its mark in the fortress wall nearby, stone and blazing hot fire raining down on the ground around them. The tower rocks with the force of the blow, aftershocks shuddering through it even after the smoke begins to settle.

He raises his head, taking in the new damage. The newly injured.

"This section of the tower may not hold for much longer," he tells the man he had been tending. "Get yourself to safety."

The man does not need to be told twice. Pushing himself up to his feet, Anduin turns to hurry toward the blaze...

((ooc: are you injured in the fire? anduin can heal you (as completely or not as you desire)! or perhaps you are there to protect him or stop him from getting himself killed!))

THE WARDS: THINK OF THE CHILDREN
Spending time in a place like this is familiar, in ways that makes Anduin not wish to consider too closely. He has lived through times of unrest in Stormwind and other such strongholds in the allied territories, but he has never had to hold strong during a siege. Never had to consider evacuation.

But that is not to say it has not been done. Once upon a time, and not so long ago in fact, the capital city of the Alliance did fall to the undead. Some who lived there did manage to escape to neighboring Stormwind, but many -- too many -- were not so lucky.

Anduin is one step ahead of many other healers in that he can heal with magic. The Light. But even the Light can only heal so much.

The child he has been tending to is not long for this world. He can sense it, as he tends to her small, emaciated form. She has been too ill for too long, too poor, and has gone too long without adequate nutrition. Even if he were to heal her, he knows it will likely only prolong her suffering. By the look in her mother's eyes, she understands this too. With two other mouths to feed...

Anduin offers a quiet prayer for their family, leaving them with what food and water he can before he excuses himself far enough from the little family that they cannot see him before he drops to his knees and puts his head in his hands.

THE WARDS: WATSON ON DUTY
As he spends time in the Wards, Anduin picks up details here and there of the deaths of the men. Death is not uncommon here in this place, he has seen a fair amount of it in the short time he has spent here already. It is the manner of these deaths which stands out. They were not sick or severely injured like those Anduin has been tending to. The only thing that really seems to unite the men in fact is their sex and the mysterious circumstances of their death.

It is troubling, to say the least. Even more troubling is the fact that no one in leadership -- besides Haiva that is -- seems to make anything of it.

Anduin just managed to fall into some semblance of sleep after a full day of caring for those in the Wards, thankfully not being called upon to return to the Towers just yet, when he hears it. A woman's voice, in the distance. The sound is haunting, piercing, and melancholy, calling to him in a way that he cannot ignore.

Pushing himself to his feet, Anduin stumbles over a body sleeping nearby, barely managing a mumbled apology as he steps forward, into the dark...

THE CROSSING: HAGGLE GAGGLE
Anduin knows that the 100 coins they received were supposed to pay for their own survival in this crumbling city. However... He is all too aware, after having spent time in the Wards that there are those who need these supplies even more.

It is a dangerous game. A person might be able to stand to give away the shirt off their back, as one might say, but if he gives his shirt and his shoes and his blanket and cloak and his week's rations, he will be in no better shape than them soon enough. He cannot help all of them, he knows this...

But he can at least see that he helps some.

"What are you asking for those?" he asks the merchant, gesturing to a bundle of dried fruit. "I'm... A magician. A healer. I can pay in trade. Anything you need."

It's clearly a dangerous question. The merchant's eyes gleam brightly as they take in the measure of him. Anduin swallows nervously but the memory of the hungry eyes of the children below has him standing his ground.

WILDCARD
((ooc: if you'd like to play something differently with me that doesn't fit any of the above prompts, toss me a comment here and we will work something out!))

OPEN STARTERS BELOW
PLOT POST COMMENT
hmu if you'd like a closed starter!

i. Gut's Bind

[ It comes as no surprise that the second they arrive in Alem they're given new assignments. Five takes his with minimal griping, because there's a few major differences between this and the last several places they've stayed. While they've been finding themselves in progressively worse conditions, here they seem to be on the verge of Hell spilling over. As much as he isn't thrilled about being separated again, he'd rather be the one to figure out how long they have.

The apocalypse has been on the forefront of his mind since Allison returned, and something in the air makes it feel more imminent than before. It doesn't help his paranoia that he's fairly sure something is watching him the entire time he's down in the freezing corridors. They're supposed to be mapping out escape routes, but he's more interested in finding what's at the center of all this.

The Room of Seals seems to be the main area of interest, and he hovers near enough to make his observations. He could try to teleport in, but that won't prepare him for whatever is inside. If anyone he recognizes comes near, he'll stop them and nod towards it. ]

What are they guarding?

[ There are other places to explore, and he'll make his way through them, but the more he sees the more he's convinced there are demons down here. All those undead have to have originated somewhere, and it feels like they're getting closer to the source. ]

ii. The Keep

[ Days in the Bind do nothing for his sanity, and it's become too risky to solve his problems with alcohol that's getting increasingly scarce. A few days in and demons start to seep into his dreams. When he wakes, he feels sick and inexplicably exhausted. Blood seeps in the back of his shirt from gashes that weren't there when he went to sleep. Somehow he slept right through that. It's concerning, but he refuses to panic.

He forces himself up and tries to locate someone he knows, find his sister and see if she's been affected, but his lethargy drags him down again. He stares at anyone who walks by, and makes every attempt to disguise how unwell he is. It's hard for him to tell how long he was out or if it's day or night. ]

You. [ He keeps his back to the walls, just in case the cuts are visible. If he recognizes who he's speaking to, it'll take him a minute for it to come to him. ] Did something happen last night?

[ Once his energy returns, he'll spend his time checking on the people he knows and asking the others about what's going on above them. Other times he'll ask if they've seen where the beacon is or see who might be on board to murder another death lord. ]

iii. Motivating Factors

[ Five doesn't keep to his post. The longer he's there, the less he trusts what he hasn't seen with his own eyes. Expect him to show in a flash of light at any given point, sometimes focused and other times just gathering information before disappearing again. Other times you might catch him taking notes and asking odd questions about the frequency of attacks. If the world is going to end, timing is everything. ]

iv. Wildcard

Whatever else! Feel free to throw anything at him or hit up his plotting comment to discuss or find me on plurk or discord as needed. Will match action/prose, whichever your preference.

Edited 2023-01-30 09:14 (UTC)

[ Open & closed prompts in the comments. I have no preference for brackets vs prose so I'm happy to match your preferred style! Plotting comment here if you want to hash out a more detailed/specific scenario. ]

Edited 2023-01-30 04:18 (UTC)

The Wards

I.

[Drogon's screech is high pitched and blood curdling, echoing through the wards. He's easy to see, swooping and diving around the small pocket of soldiers collected in the Wards. Dany is near him, holding out her hand patiently for the food taken unfairly from one of the civilians. She's far more patient in expression than Drogon, who seems ready to bite or strike should the soldiers move any closer to his mother.

It doesn't take long for the rations to be returned, but not without their fair share of rude or even crude comments, followed by the usual accusation that she was colluding with Rathakku and her dragon was proof of it. When they were out of sight, Drogon relaxed and settled on Dany's shoulders, still looking disgruntled but less angry than before.

Dany offered back the food to the young man, gesturing for him to return to his family.]

It's not hard to believe a soldier would take food from a man whose family is sick, but I still cannot abide it.

II. - Sleepless Night

[The pallet and ground were nothing to Dany after so long with the Dothraki. At least with her hrakkar, she had something soft to cover herself with, no matter the looks the lion's pelt earned her. But between the long hours with the sick, starving and dying, it was difficult to fall asleep as she had in the other places they had been taken.

This settlement was the worst so far and the sharpest reminder of what she had left in Mereen. What was waiting for her to return.

After a few hours of tossing and turning, Dany took to wandering, not caring very much if it was allowed or not. It was better than sitting in the dark and waiting for her thoughts to abate, and as there was little good she could do during the early hours, she could at least walk and let Drogon stretch his wings.

Not much of a surprise, there was someone else up.]

Can you not sleep? [An obvious question.] It feels like the calm before the storm, doesn't it?

[ ooc: did a couple top levels, but lmk if you want anything more specific! Journal PM or disco @ lifewasawillow$5524, feel free to add! ]

I. The Wards | Think of the Children

[Caitlyn has a job to do. But – as much as she'd like to – she can't spend every waking moment trying to catch a murderer, not when she's surrounded by people in distress. So she spends some of her time assisting however she can, making sure everyone has blankets, as threadbare as they may be, and at least a little something to eat.

When she spots a soldier grab some bread out of a young boy's hands, she strides over.]

Give that back to him.

[The soldier scoffs. We need it more than these parasites, he says. The fortress will fall if we don't have our strength. What's he contributing?]

II. The Wards | Watson on Duty

[Sleeping on a regular schedule has never been a priority. Not when there's so much to do. Long nights spent turning clues and theories over and over in her head or trying to help the poor refugees huddling in the Wards quickly become the norm. Her tendency to stay awake to all hours is not helped by the fact that the straw pallet she's meant to sleep on is monstrously uncomfortable.

In the small hours of the morning, Caitlyn finally finds herself drifting off. She awakens again not long after to the sound of a voice. It's very faint - so faint that, at first, she's not sure she's really hearing anything. But then she hears it again. The faint whisper of a song, drifting through the halls.

It's not an entirely conscious choice to stand up and start to follow it. She stumbles half-awake around other sleepers who seems undisturbed by the singing, slowly making her way towards an unknown destination.]

III. The Gut's Bind | The Lakes

[It's curiosity, more than anything, that leads Caitlyn to explore the Gut's Bind. She hardly has any time on her hands, but between working to stop the Reaper and trying to help the people who are staying in the Wards, she finds a few moments here and there to take in the sights.

She's got her winter coat on, the one Vi purloined for her, but it's not enough to prevent her shivering dramatically as she steps out onto the shores of an underground lake.

She's never seen an underground lake before, and she's too busy taking in the incredible sight to notice the icicle falling straight towards her.]

IV. The Gut's Bind | Lock Your Doors

[Caitlyn has never been able to resist a mystery. She would very much like to know what's in the Room of Seals and what the paladins and sorcerers are doing in there, but simply trying to stroll in like she owns the place has only earned her a stern reprimand, and every time she's asked, they've simply brushed her off.

On the night of the emergency, she finds her perfect opportunity. She's concerned, of course, for the wounded, but she's not going to be to much use as a healer. I would be better, wouldn't it, for her to go inside and try to rescue anyone who may be injured and unable to escape. So she rushes through the crowd, in the opposite direction of everyone fleeing, right up to the doors of the Room of Seals.]

V. Wildcard

[Anything else you've got in mind! If you'd like to plot something, hit me up here or feel free to add me on discord at sprucemoose#7026]

i. The Crossing

ii. Downtime / food preparation

iii. Wildcard

ooc: Or hit him up. There may be an additional sub-thread for plot-related Crossing things.

The Keep

[ Assigned to King Deimar's guard, Yelena has rarely had opportunity to leave the Keep. She spends most of her time preemptively tasing people before heated arguments escalate into knife fights. While escorting another prisoner to the barracks, she recognizes a member of her party behind bars. ]

How did you get in there?

[ Later, she leans against a pillar near the fortress exit, waiting on a companion to search the mysterious woman's last known whereabouts for clues. They agreed it was best no one venture into the forest alone. When Yelena finally spots who she is waiting for, she straightens up and gives a little wave. ]

There you are. Ready to check out the murder forest?

Rathakku's Camp

[ In the dead of night, Yelena crouches behind a large boulder near the outskirts of Rathakku's camp. Her hair is braided back and out of the way; she is dressed in black, with three blades holstered on one thigh and her handgun holstered on the other. She spread the word about this mission discreetly and now she waits for the volunteers to arrive. Deimar warned her not to attempt this mission alone and she won't.

As long as someone turns up soon. She is starting to get antsy. ]

Wildcard

[ For anything and everything else. PM or cosmology with questions/ideas/etc. Some more details for Rathakku's camp. Everyone is invited, feel free to assume word got around even to characters that haven't met Yelena. ]

Gut's Bind »»

i. [ River's taken part in battles before, though it's usually something she tries to avoid. She isn't bothered at all to be consigned to the dark and quiet underneath the fortress. In a way, it is almost comforting, with the stifling nature of a prison, cut through with tunnels and mine shafts, and there's ample opportunity to explore.

Somehow, finally dying hasn't made her any more careful. Her time here is borrowed anyway. Will it even matter if she survives this place? So she wanders, deeper and deeper, searching for new routes out. ]

ii. [ She likes the lakes best. It's frigid, almost painfully so, but the cold has never bothered her as much as it does others, well, other humans. The caves are gorgeous, if somewhat hazardous, the ice and cold lending an air of solitude. She resists temptation her first few visits, practically a record for her. But eventually, she reaches into the water to scoop up one of the gleaming scales that floats on its surface, only to have her fingers brush against a rather unfriendly looking mouth full of rather large teeth. Or more accurately, narrowly missed getting her hand bit as it came out of the water.

Carefully backing away from the water's edge, she stashes the scale in one of her many pockets to have a closer look at later. ]

Nice sea monster. Or...whatever you are.

The Clawing (Feb. 8-10) »»

[ She ignores it at first, the pull, but it only gets stronger, calling her outside the fortress walls. Even after her resistance has broken, she feigns her loyalties. Keep your enemies close. She's always been good at lying, at playing a role. But always there's the pull. By the third day, she's joined the attack on the towers. There's a battle to be fought, and she knows which side she's on. ]

Wildcard »»

[ Feel free to ask for a personalized starter or hit me up for plotting via plurk, discord, or pm! Or just drop me a wildcard. I'm very flexible and open to almost anything. ]

Edited 2023-01-31 23:28 (UTC)

Hit me up for a custom starter based on one of the following prompts, wildcard your own, or talk with me on my plotting comment or over on

whimsea!

Running into Difficulties of some kind in Gut's Bind.

Wei Wuxian healing your character in the Wards. Be confused. He's rusty!

Work together on the case of the Reaper.

Assume he's been Clawed once it's known people were, in fact, Clawed. (He is not, but really, who'd assume that?)

Put a number in the subject line and leave the comment blank for me to write us a starter! Or else feel free to make your own starter.

Edited 2023-01-31 23:53 (UTC)

Western Tower »»

[ This is not what she signed up for, but then, she didn't exactly sign up for anything. But if she had, playing battle medic under under siege from whatever those things were - orcs, someone called them - wouldn't be on her bucket list. Maybe they were looking for a different Sarah Bishop. It is a traditional family name.

Careful to keep her head down, she makes her way across the tower, pausing with each of her charges. ]

Let me see. Did they hit anything?

[ Her bedside manner might leave something to be desired, but at least she's efficient. ]

The Keep »»

[ Sarah takes what brief moments of peace she gets, but she doesn't sleep much. Who's she kidding? She didn't sleep much before. Mostly, she sits through the nights in whatever open space she can find, propped against a wall, lightly dozing in the few hours before light. Other times, she simply sits, waiting.

Loud as she's known to be, she refuses to be drawn into the fighting of strangers over matters she has no personal stake in, watching with oddly keen disinterest when words turn to blows. She's had enough of physical violence, and if they care to add to it among themselves, she's more than willing to let them bleed. ]

The Wards »»

[ When not on the tower or taking what little rest she can manage, most of her time is spent in the Wards. She's always had a temper, sure. She knows she isn't the easiest to get along with, and she doesn't care. But she's never been violent. Plants, Healing, Witchcraft...those are her strengths.

She does what she can, murmuring her spells over the ill and injured until she's exhausted. It isn't always enough. That's war for you. ]

Wildcard »»

[ For a more personalized starter or plotting, feel free to hit me up via plurk, discord, or pm! Or just drop a starter of your own and I'll roll with it! ]

Hit me up for a custom starter based on one of the following prompts, wildcard your own, or talk with me on my plotting comment or over on

whimsea!

Down in the Wards for a simple laceration? Let Licyn flirt while tending you!

You running the Guts Bind? Have a man in a long cloak making haste your way, because the direction you're headed is bad news.

Navigating people through the Guts Bind to their evacuation? Work in tandem with a very large, unnervingly intelligent wolf. Shenanigans will ensue.

Fight him, if you're Clawed! He can't actually kill you, since you're part of the group, so that'll be grand fun! Or... something.

Put a number in the subject line and leave the comment blank for me to write us a starter! Or else feel free to make your own starter.

Edited 2023-02-01 00:10 (UTC)

Northern Tower

The job isn't easy. While this isn't Kamala's first battle, it is still a struggle. She isn't made for war and long assaults. As a superhero, Kamala protects her neighborhood from government goons and villains trying to murder teens in the streets. She continues to focus on what she is good at here: protecting people. With some focus and hand movements, a bright and clear purple light seems to come from Kamala.

She doesn't make a big deal about a power that seemingly comes out of nowhere for those who may have known her previously or explain how she can do it. She simply shapes this light into shields against the assaults, platforms to catch herself when the tower is unstable and others, and at times into hands to catch someone who may have fallen without her noticing immediately. If the hand doesn't work? She turns those platforms into bridges to get whoever has fallen back to the tower quickly. In short, she's a literal source of light that is strong enough to shield others. That unique ability is what she is trying to share with everyone else.

The Keep

Kamala, as much as she hates it, can't keep going forever. Eventually her constructs begin to weaken. The teen is tellingly is on the verge of tears as she struggles to find the energy to keep everyone in the Northern Tower in her sight safe and alive. Someone likely has to tell her to go and rest. Kamala very reluctantly does so.

She can be found forcing her way through rations or falling asleep midmeal. Kamala looks completely spent. As things go on, a little pale. She doesn't sleep well here. It wouldn't be out of the question for someone to find her in clear distress while sleeping. Even aside from the highly stressful situation? Kamala has a healthy fear of all things demonic. Nightmares are a question of when and not if.

[The Crossing – grand theft grain]

He's not been assigned to the tower defense, but he won't let that stop him from lending his sword to the cause. When the call goes out for volunteers for a salvage mission to the plains, he answers; he's good for strenuous physical activity, as his vessel does not tire in the way a normal body would. It's also not particularly affected by the cold; he only accepts a grey coat when it's pointed out that his bright clothing would make him easy to spot otherwise.

They make their way down the mountain, and his group is instructed to (quietly) raid one of the more distant storage houses. He inserts himself up towards the front of the party, using the keen hearing of his Auri body to keep his companions alert to the enemy's movements.

“Over the next drift,” he murmurs to the person next to him, while their party pauses briefly in the snow. “There are creatures waiting for us. Large ones, by the sound of it.”

[The Wards – litany against despair]

As he had mentioned to Deimar, the plight of Alem's people reminds him uncomfortably of his childrens' pain and suffering during the Final Days. The enemy is different (though even in that aspect, he recognizes some similarities), but the grim, tired faces...the huddled poor and unfortunate...the sense of dull dread that pervaded the streets. And in many ways, he was even less capable of helping now – with his true form trapped in the amulet, he could not take to the skies and fight their enemies, or shield the weak behind his wings, or even tear scales off his body to use for talismans or bartering. His simulacrum has always been a tool to enable him to do more for his people, but now he keenly feels how limiting it is to inhabit.

But eventually, as always, he finds inspiration in the thought of his beloved children. Thavnair had a long history filled with both joy and pain. During the joyful times, he'd celebrated with them, reveled as they did in their bounties and good fortune; and in the painful times, he'd watched them pick themselves up, again and again, mustering the strength to continue on despite how fragile their mortal lives were. They'd set aside their differences to ensure their collective survival; create new inventions or adapt old ones to ease their troubles; and weave stories and rituals to guide them through the dark. They never ceased to amaze him, with their ingenuity and will and compassion.

So, as always, he resolves to emulate them as best he can, and pick himself up.

He visits the wards daily, and offers any and all supplies he can gather to the poor. When he has no physical goods, he gathers any who are willing to listen, and gives them his words instead.

“These are the first words of the divinity that visited my people centuries ago,” he explains softly to his audience. “'Tis a perilous path you walk; death waits in the dark, and is the sole promise that awaits at journey's end. You will tremble with terror. You will weep tears of anger and despair...but do not avert your eyes; see your life for what it is. Then will you see how the hardships make you strong. Every doubt reforged as scales for your armor. Every agony to temper your blade.”

He pauses, to look around at their faces. Spotting a couple of his fellow travelers in the little crowd, he finds a smile creeping across his face. “I have always found that part very beautiful. Every doubt reforged as scales for your armor. You must persevere, my friends, and allow each step you take to make you stronger.”

Threaded | Flat

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