EVENT #17: EPULUM - COORDINATION POST

[abraxasmods]

Event #17 - Coordination

OOC Plotting Post ⦁ IC Event Log ⦁ Nocwich

This post is for coordination while the event is ongoing, to prevent the IC Event Log from being overrun by OOC mod and player communications. The comments section will contain applicable comments and forms for you to reply to as needed.

Use this post to:

◎ Contact the mods
◎ Submit your suspected culprit
◎ Investigate the crime or track ongoing investigations
◎ Submit noticeable actions
◎ Write rapid IC exchanges

Available Forms

For details on each form, see the sections below.
Be sure to reply under the applicable category as required.

Mod Communications

If you have any questions about the limits or scope of what you can do before you formalize it in an investigation, you can go over the details with us here. You can also submit the suspect to Celeste under the appropriate heading. Submitting the name of the suspect is not required to complete the mystery, but doing so may contribute to whether the suspect is caught or escapes.

If you have questions about non-investigative aspects of the event, see the Questions thread on the OOC Plotting Post.

Contact Us

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>Submission:</b> (Describe your question OR write the name of the Witness your character will accuse as the suspect)

Investigations

To leave opportunities for others, please limit the scope of your actions per submission. For example, if you'd like to test a key, you must specify a narrow set of locks in a particular section. Additionally, while there are no strict limits on how many investigations you can be involved in, we do ask that you try to stagger them a little to help us keep pace.

You can investigate something multiple times as long as it makes sense for your character to try again. This includes following up with witnesses if characters learn new information. To investigate, fill out the form, then comment under the item you're investigating.

Investigate a witness, scene, or evidence

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>Other characters involved:</b> <b>Witness/Scene/Evidence:</b> (What is the witness, scene, or evidence your character is exploring?) <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> (If applicable. Linking a thread is NOT required, but can help us tailor our responses) <b>Notes:</b> (Anything else)

IC Exchanges

Use this option if you have an interaction you'd like to play out, but setting up a standard IC thread would be impracticable. For example, if your character wants to speak to several people about a piece of evidence, you might want to do an IC exchange. IC exchanges can take place in the real world or the Horizon.

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)

Notable Actions

Submit any 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.)

Comments

[assembles]

Player Name: Court
Character Name: Steve Rogers
Other characters involved: Loki

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Steve wants to speak to the gallery security guards around the Vaults.
Action: Steve is going to approach the guards to inquire about the private vaults, particularly to ask if they know who any of the owners of these vaults are, and if they happen to be in attendance at the Epulum festival. His thought is that maybe the thief meant to target one of the private vaults, and if that's the case, there's a chance there's some sort of personal connection between the thief and the vault owner that might help narrow down the culprit.

Loki, meanwhile, will be eavesdropping on this conversation (unknown to Steve). Our hope/where we might like to go with this is that if the guards do share this information, Loki might be able to shapeshift into one of the private vault owners to get access.
Thread: None yet, but we'll be starting one soon!
Notes: If the guards don't want to share this sort of info, we can also pivot to Loki using Steve's conversation with the guards as a distraction to go poke around in the vaults where he maybe couldn't normally! We're flexible, but thought the shapeshifting idea could be fun if it works out.

[abraxasmods]

A couple of the guards are busy with paperwork, but one woman who seems to be looking for an excuse to leave her very dull post (the gallery is quiet right now) tells Steve she'll answer his questions. She says that a number of patrons of the Vault are attending Epulum. It's a huge festival, and many big names are here. This includes Marcellus Ver and Retha Zelpha.

She acknowledges that it's possible there is a connection, but she can't see why a person with a lot to lose would do something like this. Maybe, she muses, they think they have greater to lose if they don't?


Regarding shapeshifting: while Loki can shapeshift into either Retha or Marcellus and make an attempt, he should be aware he'll be caught. The wards are quite powerful and shapeshifting spells exist in Abraxas, so they would be prepared for something like that. He would also not be able to access anything without the correct blood signature, which he would not be able to mimic.

However, his attempt won't get him into too much trouble if he plays up the angle that he was only trying to help and is very sorry for his error in judgment. Ikorr has its hands full and the Summoned generally receive more leniency, especially since Ikorr does not have jurisdiction over Loki - the Free Cities does - and they wouldn't want to cause an international incident by being too aggressive. Therefore, if you'd like to play out him shapeshifting and getting caught at the vault entrance (Loki's glamor will be dispelled automatically upon crossing a threshold), you're welcome to!

He'll eventually be released with a warning if he swears not to do it again. They'll send a report to the Free Cities and it'll be entered into his records, but nothing will come of that for now. If you would like Steve to be involved, he can also promise to keep an eye on Loki since he has more influence and trust earned in Abraxas.

Additionally, upon crossing the threshold, Loki will sense a strange presence in the air...almost as if something otherworldly has taken interest in him. He will be the only one who can feel it. In fact, he may wonder if this strange presence is the reason he's been let off quite easily.

Just let us know if this is the path you've chosen to take!

[bathrobed]

Court and I would love to run with this path for Steve and Loki!

We need to decide who Loki will shapeshift into but he'll definitely try to get into the vaults as Retha or Marcellus, and upon being caught he'll explain that his intentions were only to help by using the skillset available to him. He will apologise, and attempt to foster a kernel of trust by expressing remorse that his magic is as it is, and that he wasn't blessed with a more "heroic" magical affinity.

Since we have a Strange Presence™ in the mix: he is of course telling tall tales to cover his ass, however there'll be a near imperceptible bitterness to the part about feeling remorse over being what he is that speaks to the truth of it. It isn't actually remorse but more like jealousy and frustration.

Upon feeling the presence I'd like him to see if he can feel a magical anomaly in the immediate area; he expects to be able to get a tingle of wards and sealing spells, so he'd be trying to locate something that doesn't fit with their surroundings.

Steve will then step in and agree to keep an eye on Loki in the Free Cities!

[abraxasmods]

Loki will feel an anomaly from the warding that's been erected back up over the vault that was broken into, as though a slightly different form of magic has been mixed in with the usual spell.