EVENT #23: CROSSROADS - WRAP-UP

[abraxasmods]

Event #23 - Wrap-Up

IC Event Log

As you near the end of the second day, you glimpse a glimmer of light ahead. Though you might be wary at first, you realize that the face emerging from the light is familiar...or at least appears to be friendly. They certainly don't belong to anyone who appear to be part of the major territories.

Characters will spend March in one of the three minor territories, depending on which scenario they were rescued from. While cross-border interactions will be limited, there will still be opportunities. Additionally, low influence characters will have the chance to run small retrieval missions on behalf of their fellow Summoned.

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(Another) New Home ⦁ Retrieval Mission ⦁ Notes ⦁ Questions & Answers

(Another) New Home

The rescue scenario and subsequent territory descriptions will be provided below for each minor territory. Characters may briefly cross into another minor territory to visit a character or otherwise conduct important business, but cannot stay there overnight and will be limited to one or two trips for the month. Officials caution that too much portal use could be dangerous.

Characters will also be able to speak to the NPCs in each area. However, for the sake of expediency, we will not be offering full threads. Instead, interactions will be similar to how they were conducted during the Epulum event, where players will receive an answer or a response from an NPC after providing us with a short description of their character's action or question.

To speak to an NPC, use the form and REPLY TO THIS COMMENT under the corresponding minor territory.

◎ Nocwich (Mountains)

If you were on the mountains, the glimmer of light you see will reveal itself to be a portal. Out of it steps Sten, who represents the werewolves of Luna, and Celeste, who represents the vampires of Ikorr. They appear to be working together, and tell you they heard news from the Nether that one of the dragons sensed the Summoned's distress. As a result, they've arrived to lend a hand and urge you all to come to Nocwich, where they promise the distance from both the major territories and the Singularity will provide you with some safety.

Indeed, older Summoned can assure you - if you're skeptical - that Nocwich has been known to help in the past and have, for the past three or so years, had a relatively amiable relationship with the Summoned despite some complications that have occurred on their soil.

◎ Your accommodations in Nocwich will be at one of several inns around Oleuni Square where you can stay for the foreseeable future at no cost. The inns will provide you with a complimentary breakfast and dinner. Nocwich has an infirmary for any injuries that require tending.

◎ You can travel freely between the Square, Luna, and Ikorr, although the isolated fishing and mining island, Silvcres Island, remains off-limits.

◎ You can take temporary jobs in any one of the shops, markets, or taverns you like for supplementary income while you try your best to settle into your new home. It's unclear whether you will ever return to your former territory again, but...you may not want to, considering the circumstances.

◎ Nocwich officials will assure you that they have no intention of handing any Summoned over who do not want to go back to the territories. As far as they're concerned, you may take refuge in their territory for as long as you need.

◎ For full details, see the NOCWICH SETTINGS PAGE.

◎ The Feywilds (Forest)

If you were in the living forest, the glimmer of light you see will reveal itself to be a portal. Out of it steps figure familiar only to the oldest Summoned: Elizabeth Francis, one half of the mysterious duo (the other being Oliver) who originally freed the Summoned from Thorne several years ago. The portal she creates carries the unmistakable shimmer and signature that belongs to Seelie Magic...an intriguing fact she does not yet explain, but may later.

Elizabeth will tell you that she sensed an intrusion on Fey soil nearby and went to investigate. She appears to be aware of what has occurred at the Singularity's crater and urges you to come into the Feywilds. According to her, the Vermillion Court has returned to the old Fey realm of Faerie, no longer interested in staying in Abraxas when it has grown so unstable and full of strife. The Feywilds is currently empty and will serve as a sufficient temporary home for any Summoned seeking refuge.

◎ Your accommodations in the Feywilds will be at the Cascading Boughs where you can stay for the foreseeable future at no cost. Some of the Seelie magic has faded, but the luxurious baths are available. The Listening Tree, however, has vanished.

◎ You can travel freely throughout the Feywilds. All of the small homes and the palace have been vacated, leaving behind furniture or a few belongings the Fey didn't bother to take. The overgrowth has reclaimed much of the land, so beware of tripping hazards and beasts roaming. While dangerous, the Feywilds is one of the few places in Abraxas completely free of any other residents and you may do as you like there so long as you don't destroy the environment.

◎ In the absence of civilization, you won't need a job but you will need to provide for yourself or share amongst each other. Elizabeth will be able to offer some assistance with her magic, and will do her best to heal any injuries. She will also be able to guide you on what's edible and what's poisonous if you'll be foraging for food.

◎ She will assure you that she has no intention of handing any Summoned over who do not want to go back to the territories. As far as she's concerned, you may take refuge in the Feywilds as long as you need.

◎ For full details, see the FEYWILDS SETTINGS PAGE.

◎ The Nether (Ocean)

If you were on the ocean, the glimmer of light you see will reveal itself to be Kruos, the Glass Dragon, followed by her mate, Hierus. Riding atop the dragons are Orion, the Warden, and Ermis, the Keeper, in a rare appearance beyond the Nether's borders.

They tell you that Anneth relayed that one of the dragons sensed the Summoned's distress. As a result, they've arrived to lend a hand and urge you all to climb aboard one of the dragons and return with them to the Nether, where they believe you will be safe from the Singularity's expanding crater and interference from the major territories.

◎ Your accommodations in the Nether will be in the Hieran Wing where you can stay for the foreseeable future in one of the guest rooms at no cost. A curved stairwell grants you privacy even though many rooms have curtains rather than doors. The few rooms that have doors contain no locks.

◎ You can travel freely throughout the Nether, both within the Heart of the volcano and above ground across the tundra. Beware that doors and furniture are made of heavy iron and bronze due to the Draconae's natural strength. Citizens are happy to help as long as you ask. If you don't, they won't interfere out of respect for your autonomy. In fact, if they see you huffing and puffing, they might stop to watch and will sincerely cheer for you should you accomplish your objective by yourself.

◎ You can fish in the lava pools or hunt to provide for yourself. The Draconae believe in self-sufficiency but will aid you if requested and share with you anything you need. You can shop at the Foundry, where expert craftspeople sell wares and potions. The Draconae tend to request hair, saliva, or blood rather than typical currency, and are also willing to barter.

◎ The Inner Sanctum will assure you that they have no intention of handing any Summoned over who do not want to go back to the territories. As far as they're concerned, you may take refuge in the Nether as long as you need.

◎ For full details, see the NETHER SETTINGS PAGE.

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Retrieval Mission

Characters who are Rank 4 or below in influence will be given the opportunity to go on retrieval missions in one of the major territories. These missions will allow any Summoned who left behind a valuable item in their residing territory to regain that item. Players are not required to play out these threads in full, but are encouraged to do so if they wish!

In-game, officials of each minor territory will agree to facilitate provided the item characters ask to retrieve are important in some way. Some acceptable things for retrieval are: deeply personal items, weapons, enchanted tools or trinkets, and small pets.

The goal of the retrieval missions is so that players can regain any items they worked hard for but could not feasibly justify their character taking with them ICly during the chaotic territory switches. The secondary goal is for newer characters to have the chance to use their lower influence for something positive!

Please do not use this mechanic to obtain all manner of things just to have them. Clothes, money, and other items of that nature can be purchased in the new territory or replaced by the NPCs. Just ask if you have questions!

◎ How It Works

In addition to being lower in influence, characters who travel to the territory must also meet the following conditions:

◎ Characters may not conduct their task in the territory where they have spent the majority of their time in. In other words, if a character was originally summoned to Thorne but was quickly displaced to the Free Cities and spent the month in the Free Cities, then they cannot do retrieval missions in the Free Cities. Essentially, the logic will be that they should not be doing retrieval missions in a place where they have the highest chance of being noticed as a "familiar" face.

◎ Characters can "retrieve" as many times as they want and can carry back what they're able, but keep it reasonable. They are meant to be sneaky and should avoid attracting too much attention. They may use any abilities they have to achieve their task.

◎ While Thorne's castle is more difficult to infiltrate, the damage to the castle itself will make it possible. However, characters going into Castle Thorne will need to exercise the most caution.

Players may organize retrievals between each other. COMMENT HERE to volunteer your services or to request a volunteer to retrieve something for you.

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Notes

CR Meme

We will be posting a CR Meme within the next few days for players to plot amongst each other in light of their new circumstances.

Changes to Final Event Schedule

Previously, we announced that the concluding event will be two parts. However, having gauged overall circumstances, we've decided to post the final event as one single event, to be going up as scheduled in April.

This will allow players to have ~1 month (from early April to mid-May) to play out all their threads in full to avoid anyone feeling as though they need to quickly wrap up threads and move onto the second part. It will also give players the flexibility to choose which aspect of the event they wish to focus on. The first section will be more action-based while the second section will be more CR-based.

We hope this change will help everyone reach endgame as smoothly as possible!

May 18 will see the Epilogue posted. The Epilogue will not contain prompts to respond to but instead will close up any loose ends and allow players to thread out anything they wish that they feel would wrap up their character's arc. The mod team will be around to answer any final questions players may have until May 31. By June 1, the game will enter sandbox mode.

Returning Characters Opportunity

The opportunity for characters previously in Abraxas to return will also be taking place in April during the concluding event. We'll provide the full details on the OOC Plotting Post in April.

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Questions and Answers

If after reading these you're still unsure about anything, or your question wasn't covered, please feel free to hit up our Questions thread below!

What kinds of items can I retrieve?

Moderate weapons, tools, trinkets, plants, and small pets are all acceptable!

My character has been around for a long time, but still has a low influence. Can they also retrieve something?

Yes, absolutely! All three major territories are quite large so it's unlikely they'll be noticed if their influence remains low regardless of how long they've been in Abraxas.

How many questions can my character ask the NPC? Can they speak to multiple NPCs in the territory if available?

Yes, characters can speak to multiple NPCs and there are no restrictions on the number of interactions or questions. However, please keep in mind that the mods need to answer all questions so please try to limit questions to the most important ones only!

There's something I want my character to know. How can my character can approach things to get that result?

Just let us know in the form what outcome you're hoping to receive for your character and we'll do our best to accommodate!

What if my character wants to sneak back into a major territory?

At this time, that will not be possible!

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Comments

THE NETHER

[abraxasmods]

[ushiri]

Player Name: Jay
Character Name: Kyle

Specific NPC?: Ermis
Action: He's going to express gratitude for allowing them to stay and generally be straightforward. If Ermis has any questions about what happened at the crater he'll answer truthfully as best to his ability - otherwise he's going be trying to follow up on that thread from forever ago about the supposed Singularity relic the Nether is in possession of. If Ermis is like 'why u asking' he'll admit it's mostly grasping at straws for anything that might lead to answers about stabilizing the Singularity.
Notes: ICly he is just longshot hoping to get the Nether folks to give over any useful info that might help explain or help with whatever the heck is going on, before the crater expands further and eats everyone. He might ask if Ermis thinks the dragons themselves are capable of withstanding the force of the crater.

[abraxasmods]

Now that the Summoned are no longer divided into their territories as before, Ermis appears much less reluctant to answer questions. Curiously, he does not ask about the incident at the crater...almost as if he has gotten all the answers he needs elsewhere.

Once Kyle explains why he is asking, Ermis will tell him he must consult with the Inner Sanctum first. It will be approximately one day before he returns to Kyle and asks him to follow. If Kyle agrees, he will be the first outsider led through the restricted areas of the Citadel. The halls are curiously devoid of guards, leading one to wonder what hidden protections are used instead. The giant glowing eye appearing at the windows here and there, belonging to Hierus, may answer that question.

In one of the deep vaults, Ermis will reveal the artifact itself to Kyle: a small glowing pad that displays a hologram. The technology is well beyond the scope of anything else in Abraxas. More importantly, the hologram contains what looks to be a schematic to build a gate. The Nether believes that this gate is designed for travel between worlds. They have kept it hidden for that reason, fearing what its reveal could mean for all of Abraxas and the Nether itself. He tells Kyle that this is why the Nether knows, without a doubt, it can't belong to Thorne since it's obviously completely foreign.

[ushiri]

AHHHH this is so neat!

Is this possible to pursue further? If so, Kyle would be VISIBLY ALARMED at this reveal. He will agree that the major territories needed to be kept away from this after how they've been misusing the Summoning spell and the damage they have been assuming it's caused.

He will explain that he once had the ability to travel between one world and another via a (I assume different kind of) gate prior to being Summoned here. He'll explain any general details if Ermis seems curious, but mostly stress that the ritual his people used was also incredibly dangerous to both the world itself and the traveler if it was misused. THAT SAID, if there it comes to a point where there is nothing they can do about the Singularity consuming more and more of Abraxas, this might be a way for those who want to escape to leave. He'd ask if Istredd and Viktor would be allowed to look at the schematics, or otherwise work with the Draconae on figuring out if this can be used safely.

[abraxasmods]

Yes, you may pursue this further! In fact, this information may be relevant going into endgame, so Kyle should keep it in mind.

Ermis will listen closely to what Kyle has to say. He agrees that he does not like the idea of opening doorways between worlds, seeing as the summoning ritual has already caused problems in the past and nearly decimated their dragons not long ago.

While Ermis will not hand over the device, he will allow Istredd to look at the schematic due to Istredd's relationship with Anneth, The Flame. He is less certain about Viktor and tells Kyle he will think about it. After another day, he will return and announce that the Inner Sanctum has allowed it after some consultation since one of their well-respected blacksmiths has vouched for Viktor. Viktor may surmise that this blacksmith is probably Babis.

The three of them will be invited into the same chamber. Ermis does not swear them to secrecy but warns that they should be cautious about who they tell. Since Ermis is not a craftsman, his presence will be replaced by Charis, The Overseer.

Let us know how you intend to explore the schematic or the device, and/or what questions your characters might ask, and we can provide further answers!

[ushiri]

Istredd will probably do his instinct which is to investigate first based on if it has magical power coming from it and if there's anything distinctly magical related, if it's otherworldly or not. As an alchemist he'll be interested in if they can figure out what it's made of.

Kyle is probably the least versed in all of this, since his understanding of trans-dimensional is very specific and involves blood magic, binding spirits, bones of god, etc etc. But he will assist if there's anything about the device itself or schematics he might recognize or sense magically as well. The highest level of tech he's seen is early 21st century Earth.

Viktor will come at the schematic and device from a theoretical physics slash magitech standpoint to figure out how it works. Out of the three he's most familiar with more space age tech from working with Tony Stark in the past.

Besides that, they'd ask about any past attempts to study the device and schematic, what the power source of the device itself is and what the power source of the gate is meant to be, anything they can tell about the materials involved, etc etc.

[abraxasmods]

The device that displays the schematic hologram appears to be made of using an intensely compressed amount of stored energy, which Kyle or Viktor may be best suited to recognize is simply an advanced battery, potentially something along the lines of an isomer battery. It's possible that this energy may resonate with Istredd as "magical" but whether it's truly magic or not is debatable and may be difficult to determine with limited resources.

Charis himself believes it is magic, as he is unable to identify its true nature, and notes that although the device's ability to turn on - what Charis refers to as the "enchantment" - has degraded over the many years, the recovery of the Nether appears to have given some life back to this device.

He says he believes that the schematics indicate that if a greater amount of this force could be sourced, it would be possible to complete the schematic. However, he's unclear where that would come from. He thinks perhaps one day, a dragon may hatch that could generate this type of energy, similar to how they have generated resources such as water and vegetation. This is the reason the Nether has been holding onto it.

[ushiri]

INTERESTING

At the end of this Viktor will ask if he can make a copy of the schematics for further study.

Irrelevant for this interaction but just to put thoughts down, Kyle will be silently wondering if the Summoned could generate the same power, given they've had a similar effect on the land before and their potential to ascend. He is also thinking of Jack (OOCly Em offered this) who he knows is a kind of conduit for stupid amounts of power, but the likelihood of him suggesting this is 0% lmao

If I could do one more thing! Kyle would go to the Singularity in Horizon and ask it (again) what it wants even if it can't answer in words. He has not visited it like this in some months because he found a real person to hug him he's been kinda busy.

[abraxasmods]

Charis will allow Viktor to make a copy but will not allow him to remove the copy from the vault. However, Viktor may make use of the room to study and can bring any tools he wants into the area. This is simply to keep the information secure. Charis only asks that all related research be retained inside the vault. He promises they will keep it safe and will not interfere with it.

It is not out of the question for the Summoned to potentially hold this much power, though it may require more than one of them. Kyle may hold onto this thought for what comes in end game.

If he visits the Singularity, it will respond to him as it has in the past! However, the unique thing he'll notice is that the Singularity's response is muffled, as if being projected from much further away. The Horizon itself seems quite stable for now...but if Kyle should visit the area where he once dug his tunnel, he may find it feels hollow beneath his feet, as if the foundation beneath has shifted or fallen away.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Player Name: Dee
Character Name: Istredd
Other characters involved: n/a

Specific NPC?: Anneth
Action: This is mostly because they've made a connection, but he'll go thank her for them rescuing her and joke that it seems his request to stay in the Nether will be moved up now. He is half serious, he wants to stay there, he's said as much. Since they spoke before he was in Solvunn about the AU and the gods, he will update her about his talk with Umbvagher and what the god said specifically about how the Singularity is acting. Istredd is concerned that the escalation will be worse and he wants to know if there's any knowledge or research the Nether has on the Singularity's behavior over time, or if the dragons themselves know anything about it.

Notes: This is mostly for emotional closure since he respects Anneth a great deal but also Nerd Stuff.

[abraxasmods]

Anneth will welcome Istredd back to the Nether and take his accounts seriously, even if Istredd talks about a bear in a hat. Even though the Nether prospered in the future he described previously, she understands the concern and urgency of the moment. She will say that there isn't a lot of research on the Singularity itself in the Nether, but she can show him something where it relates to dragons.

Anneth will invite Istredd into the deeper chambers of where the memory crystals are kept. There is a special section that holds some of the oldest memories available. If he would like, Anneth will give him permission to touch one of the crystals.

The memory is from the point of view of a small dragon with icy-hued scales and wide wings split into twelve fans, resembling a much smaller version of this mysterious figure that previously appeared over Abraxas. It's unsteady as it crawls out of rock and sand with the sound of a vacuum from behind it. Once it breaches the surface, it scrambles and spins around to find itself at the foot of a giant obelisk. The Singularity stands in front of it and hums in a way that's familiar to the Summoned. The Badlands are entirely different, lush with vegetation, but the emotions in the memory make it clear the dragon is lost and confused. In a low voice it calls out for home and the memory ends.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd is grateful and honored to be invited to share in the memories of the dragons. He thanks her for giving this trust. After experiencing the memory he's clearly surprised and expresses that he thinks this means that the dragon in the memory came from another world like he did. It resembles Argus, the dragon god who was seen recently due to Solvunn. He remembers that it was said that the current dragons came from Argus. He wonders if the humming from the Singularity means that the dragon god had the same connection they had to the Singularity and that would explain why the dragons are so connected to the land and can heal it with that power.

He asks her if there are other memories from that original dragon who eventually must have ascended to the god form it is now.

[abraxasmods]

Anneth agrees that this is a possibility. It is not a fact the Draconae advertise much, for fear of being seen as even more of outsiders than they already are. She believes that Argus created the Draconae race as caretakers of the dragons. Anneth also seems to distance this belief from that of Solvunn's, as she feels the connection between Argus and the Draconae are much more observable than Solvunn's pure faith.

She says that there are no further memories from Argus. However, she will show a memory of a different dragon emerging, this one closely resembling the current Obsidian Dragon, Hierus. Her conclusion is that while Argus appears to have "transcended," Hierus never did. It is unclear whether this is because Hierus could not or chose not to.

[judgmentbolts]

Player Name: Sra
Character Name: Cid
Other characters involved: Jesper indirectly?

Specific NPC?: Aster or Charis if possible? I don't know that his rep is high enough for that so just lmk if it should be someone else! I can also ask around with my CR if he might need an intro or w/e
Action: Cid wants to set up the Summoned in the Feywild long term (should they wish to go there) so that they have a place to live on their own terms instead of being pulled into conflicts between the major territories or potentially pulling the minor territories into such conflicts. He thinks that they need a place to collaborate and focus on what's happening with the Singularity without being concerned that anything they learn might be used for war.

He'd ask if The Nether would be interested in trade if/when they've gotten established, both in terms of resources and innovation. He'd be happy to share examples of his own inventions and his theories about replacing some magic with electricity as the Singularity becomes more unstable.

Basically:
1. There are some benefits he can potentially offer. Would The Nether be interested in being allies if it all pans out? (He wouldn't turn down aid in getting established either, but he won't push his luck too much.)
2. Do they have any ideas about what's happening with the Singularity?

Notes: Though he wasn't in Abraxas during the first meeting with the Draconae, Cid will confide that he has gone through something similar in his own world, where the loss of magic caused the land to become barren. He would freely share what he's learned of restoring the land from his own world and offer to help them with the recovery if he can, whether they help him in return or not.

For the Singularity stuff, OOC I'm definitely fine with not necessarily sticking my fingers into EVERY pie and leaving that for other people to dig into. If they're like "go talk to some other Summoned about that" or w/e that's totally fine! I have to put it in here because he'd ask about both he's just Like This...

[abraxasmods]

While Cid's reputation isn't too relevant here since the Nether is currently willing to meet with any Summoned, Aster prefers to handle duties about their people and thus will be the one who meets with Cid.

Aster will make cheerful introductions and offer Cid a hearty drink in their meeting place, which will be in a private but informal area of the Citadel. Aster says the Nether is indeed interested in expanding trade; they have never been particularly isolationist, especially since their people travel and live throughout Abraxas, but that circumstances forced them to retreat into themselves in order to preserve their land. Now that this has changed, opportunities may open up.

1. Aster believes that the Summoned's presence in the Nether aids the land's growth, something which was observed previously. They see a partnership as something that can only be beneficial. Due to the destruction of the major territories, the Nether has some concerns that, in an effort to recover, they will turn to the minor territories and attempt to usurp their resources.

2. Aster is unsure what may be happening with the Singularity, but believe that events over the past few years have rapidly destabilized the ancient relic. Having recently sent one of their dragons there to take a look, from the sky, it appears that the Singularity is not so much collapsing as it is growing.