EVENT #12: INVOCATION - COORDINATION POST (PART 1)

[abraxasmods]

Event #12 - COORDINATION (1)

go to the OOC Plotting Post or IC Event Log

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This post is for coordination to prevent the IC Event Log from being overrun by OOC mod and player communications. Forms and instructions are available in this post.

Use this post to:

◎ Coordinate event plots with the mods
◎ Request a mod dice roll
◎ Submit noticeable actions
◎ Write rapid IC exchanges
◎ Investigate a plot point or track ongoing investigations

If you have any questions, see the Questions thread on the OOC Plotting Post.

Available Forms

For details on each form, see the sections below.
Be sure to reply under your assigned category if applicable.

Mod Communications

If you have an idea related to the event plot, communicate and coordinate with us here. This includes NPC meetings, requesting resources, destroying the environment, or anything else that may require mod permission. If we can't accommodate a request for any reason, we'll do our best to offer an alternative!

Contact Us

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>Request:</b> (Describe what you'd like to do)

Randomization Request

Request a mod dice roll at any time for outcomes and consequences. Some actions require a dice roll to proceed, such as attacking an acolyte NPC or attempting to break anything major in the environment (chains, doors, walls). If you aren't sure, you can check with us.

Request here

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>Action:</b> (Describe what your character is attempting to do and how) <b>Thread:</b> <a href="urlhere">Thread</a> (Link to the thread where this is taking place) <b>Notes:</b> (Anything else)

Notable Actions

Submit notable actions that are likely to gain attention from other players, such as fights or disturbances.

Submit a notable action

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>When:</b> (Approximately when is this incident taking place?) <b>Where:</b> (Where is this incident taking place?) <b>What:</b> (Describe the incident) <b>Link:</b> <a href="urlhere">Thread</a> (If applicable. Actions can be submitted without a thread if they're minor, such as if your character snores loudly every night.)

IC Exchanges

Use this option for interactions you'd like to play out, but setting up a standard IC thread would be impracticable. For instance, if your character wants to speak to several people about an event they witnessed together, you might want to do an IC exchange.

Treat this like an informal IC network thread done in person, where character reactions, snippets of dialogue, and other details can be quickly played out and concluded in-game without committing to a full log thread. Exchanges are game canon and can count towards Activity Check under the category of a Network thread.

Start an IC exchange

Using the provided form is optional. Begin a thread freeform if you prefer.

<b>Where & when:</b> (Where and when is this exchange taking place?) <b>Purpose:</b> (What's the reason for this exchange?) <b>THREAD START</b> (Write the scenario, your character's actions, and any dialogue as usual)

Investigations

Several investigation paths are available for characters to interact with. Each assignment group will have their own set of investigation paths. You can investigate something as many times as you want, as long as there's a reasonable explanation for your character making their second attempt. Interacting with investigations might carry IC consequences. We'll try to telegraph when characters are at high risk of triggering something major. To investigate, fill out the form, then comment under the item you're investigating.

Interact with an Investigation

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>Other characters involved:</b> <b>Action:</b> (Describe what your character is attempting to do and how. If multiple characters are taking action, include their actions.) <b>Thread:</b> <a href="urlhere">Thread</a> (Link to a top level or any other relevant threads. This is so we can review what the characters involved have been doing to best flavor the investigation outcome for you!) <b>Notes:</b> (Anything else)

Comments

[widows_kiss]

They'll agree to his deal in exchange for the trade route and leave the investigation at that, unless the guards have something else they'd like to press him for.

They are definitely interested in following up on this clue and would want to ask around with the merchants. That name certainly caught Natasha's ear since she's been tracking the rumors and speculation about Josselyn since overhearing about her at the negotiations and starting to look into her back then.

Spending some coin among the merchants and otherwise using Natasha's investigating/coercion skills, they'd try to find out what the merchants could tell them about the Creed family and the merchants' dealings with them?

[abraxasmods]

Merchants will tell them the Creed family has established trade routes for Solvunn in Thorne for a couple of generations. Like many Solvunn families, the Creed family is pretty large, but the ones who work in trade and commerce are Brion, Scott, and Marc.

Brion currently oversees Thorne. He lives in Old Nott in a modest dwelling. They can go visit to see if he's home or they can choose to wait until he's gone and break into his house.

[widows_kiss]

They're going to opt for the b&e when no one is home. Natasha would scout the place and the immediate surrounding area as much as possible beforehand, just to try and limit the amount of surprises they might have and to be as aware as possible of their surroundings.

Infiltration is pretty standard fare for her but they also have Lucifer's ability of Knock as an alternative if they need it. Natasha has also been learning/practicing Illusion magic from Stephen in case an emergency demands some sort of diversion.

They'd be focused on finding anything that stands out as odd or might coincide with other investigations they've been dealing with/keeping tabs on. Strange transactions. Maybe mentions of Josselyn? Nat in particular is aware of the rotted wood found in the FC shipments and keeping that in mind as well.

[abraxasmods]

A combination of their abilities will grant them entry into the home.

Documents and ledgers in the house look in order. There's a surprising lack of anything suspicious. However, if they look downstairs in the basement, they'll find some grain that's been burnt to ash. Nearby is an empty sack with has smears on it that could be from the rotting contents previously inside.

Natasha might recall the farmer who told her about her missing bag of grain later replaced with a fresh supply, or she may recall finding this sack in Brion Creed's home while speaking to the farmer later. You can choose the order of events. Regardless, it appears Brion may have gone out of his way to ensure any spoiled grain was destroyed, explaining why no ruined grain has been found throughout Thorne.

[widows_kiss]

Considering this was the opposite of what they expected to find in here, after a little debate, Natasha and Lucifer have decided to stay and wait for Brion to come home (if he comes home?) to ask him some questions about the destroyed grain and his family's involvement in all this. Yes, they'll be greeting him from inside his home.

They'd ask after 1) what he knows about the shipments from Solvunn and why the wood/grain were rotted/where they came from (and why the wood smelled like flesh?). 2) why he went to the trouble of destroying/replacing the grain once it had been delivered and 3) see if he can be 'persuaded' to reveal more about what's his family's involvement is in all this, especially regarding Josselyn.

[abraxasmods]

Brion will return home in a few hours, either at sunrise or sunset depending on what time of day Lucifer and Natasha unlawfully entered his house. He's surprised to see them, but seems to understand should they reveal themselves as the Summoned from Castle Thorne. After some hesitation, Brion invites them to sit down.

1. The rotted wood and grain he believes is from a black root only found in Solvunn, and only in the possession of the Council and a few trusted Elders. In nature, the root is benign. It must be treated before it receives its flesh rotting properties. It's used in sacrificial rituals under specific circumstances. Natasha and Lucifer can confirm this by reaching out to anyone in Solvunn who approached the Council with similar questions.

Due to its potential to destroy crops and farmlands, the material is guarded with great care. He believes Josselyn's attempt to transport it to areas in Thorne and the Free Cities caused unexpected contamination.

2. Brion became aware of the spoiled grain when he caught some of it in the shipments arriving from Solvunn several weeks ago. Worried it'd spread to the already damaged farmlands, he made sure to destroy the spoiled grain and informed the Council. He claims he wasn't aware until the recent disappearances that it was anything other than an innocent mistake due to the troubles from the blights a few months ago.

However, he's aware Josselyn's grown more and more obsessed with the Old Gods. He says she told him she believed there was a way to reach them through what she calls the "Ascension." Although he was curious at first by the idea, when she began gathering followers, he turned away. He says it goes against Solvunn's core traditions which rely on the Old Gods granting them blessings through offerings. He believes the arrogance of thinking anyone could deliberately reach the Old Gods, expecting an answer, will anger them.

[widows_kiss]

Since he's being so helpful, they would like to see if they can press for a few more answers from him, or at least pick his brain for knowledge on some of these matters. Considering his relation to Josselyn and his knowledge of some of the elements she may have been working with, they wonder if he might recognize some of the clues they've come across and are trying to narrow down.

- Does he know of any significance to the masks with keyhole eyes?
- Does he recognize the strange symbol they've found and know to be etched into the shrines wherever the Lost are being held?
- Does he know anything about where Josselyn might be or who she might be working with now? Any idea where she gained this information about Ascension and "reaching" the Old Gods?
- Natasha would reassure him that it's comforting to know that it's not the whole Creed family involved in this plan for Ascension and the Old Gods, but asks if Marc or Scott might know anything about this? Especially since the rotted wood was somehow missed in the Free Cities' shipments.

That being said, they would thank him for his cooperation and note that the Summoned (and surely Thorne) will be grateful for his actions on their behalf. Natasha would leave contact details in case he does learn/hear anything more and add that he can also reach out should he ever have need of their ear/assistance.

[abraxasmods]

1. Regarding the masks and the symbols, he doesn't recognize them, but he recalls Josselyn carried the Page of Pentacles in her notebook the last time they spoke a few months ago. He thought it was a bit odd, as the Page of Pentacles is not related to her Arcana sign, but decided she must be doing some research and didn't question it. While the symbol is clearly not the Page of Pentacles, it does bear similar elements.

2. Brion says Josselyn should be in Solvunn. The agreement was that she would remain in Solvunn to serve on the Council while he and his brother would coordinate trade and commerce in the other factions. Solvunn natives don't usually leave the commune, but on occasions where it's necessary for the good of the faction and the family is in good standing over many generations, the Council will allow it.

3. He doesn't know where she would've gotten this information. He believes it came from her own head. She may have been motivated after certain events with the Summoned that indicated the Summoned have a special connection to the Singularity or the Old Gods. He admits he didn't ask her a lot of questions. He found the topic unsettling and didn't want to encourage her.

4. He tells her his brother Marc oversees trade routes in the Free Cities. He insists his brother wouldn't know anything about this, either. They've both been equally concerned about Josselyn. He cautions her that his brother is "a bit thick" when it comes to details and numbers, though his exceptional charm made him a good candidate to thrive in the Free Cities.

They can have someone speak to Marc, but he's worried he'll get his brother in trouble. Marc does have a reputation of being a bit of a black sheep, but only because he enjoys the extravagances of the Free Cities more than someone dedicated to the commune should. He believes Marc would be the last person to give that up in favor of the pious devotion Josselyn exhibited.

Of course, the Free Cities and the Summoned may wish to investigate and confirm for themselves.