Player Plot: The Salvation of Geardagas, Part II

[faileas]

Event Log: February, The Salvation of Geardagas: Part II



CW: This plot has a general content warning for kidnapping, torture, experimentation, violence, drug use (incl. aphro), infection/disease and potential death. This is entirely opt-in.

Spirited Away, Part 2 i. Hypothesis One moment, you were free. The next, you wake up in a cold, dark room with eyes on you and the cloying smell of decay all around you. Characters who have been kidnapped are being kept in the lower floor of Alder's estate, which is a labyrinth of rooms and corridors. Without exception, the way out is always either locked or heavily guarded. All kidnapped characters have been infected with the Cwyld (sometimes by proximity to botanical materials, sometimes by being directly exposed to the violent Shades they already have imprisoned) and are being used to further the Evergreen Circle's research into the nature of the plague. The details of these tests is expanded on in the plotting post and, needless to say, their capturers have very little interest in their wellbeing. They're needlessly cruel, often pitting victims against each other and forcing them to infect newer arrivals as they turn up. Subjects are allowed a few hours of sleep at a time and a small meal- assuming that they're not being purposefully deprived of either- and are locked together in cramped cells. ii. Alternative Theory Some characters, however, escape this particular cruelty in favour of something else just as dehumanising. If a member of the inner circle has taken a liking to someone, they'll take them out of the pool of tests subjects and move them into their households. Servitude is ensured by a strong enchantment that scrambles memories and replaces them with the false knowledge that they've been working there all along. These brainwashed servants might also be forced to participate in the torture and testing of the others.

Initiation The night of the initiation party is here. If you've managed to ingratiate yourself with the cult- or at least a member of rank- you'll have already received an elegant envelope with an invitation and all the details. Or maybe you stole one or put together a convincing forgery. Alder's estate is handsome, with a small courtyard lit up with strings of lights and servants at the double doors to greet guests. Inside is just as grand. The hall and ballroom are impressive spaces with vaulted ceilings painted with elaborate star maps and broken up with marble columns that wouldn't look out of place in a palace. Drinks tables are lined up against the walls and there are several smaller drawing rooms off to the side, all of which are full of guests. Throughout the first hour or so, Alder himself flits from person to person, congratulating them and making smalltalk, but he seems different somehow. Excitable. Eager. Of course, there are other ways one might get in; while the front entrance is closely monitored, the side one leading through the kitchens isn’t. In the hustle and bustle, you might slip through unnoticed. i. Cavorting and Cruelty It isn't long before things take a turn. Alder takes to the head of the room and, with his signature voice amplifying enchantment, addresses his audience. He greets everyone and gives a fairly standard speech thanking guests and welcoming initiates to the Evergreen Circle proper- and then it happens. Servants begin to wheel in cages and tanks, all containing individuals infected with the Cwyld at various stages. Some look to have been drugged, others are wide awake, but the regulars seem delighted by their presence. They whisper and titter and applaud. Some of the more docile victims are even taken out to be showed off like animals at a fayre. "Tonight, let us enjoy the fruits of our labour! Witness the progress we've made and share our blessings among yourselves! Fear will only blind you to taking the next step. Indulge, open your minds and take the first step towards your salvation!" What he means by this quickly becomes apparent. While they're not discussing or mocking the imprisoned witches and monsters, the other guests are partaking of vice the party has to offer. The drinks flow freely and there's a manic energy in the air. Those with sharp senses might recognise that some of it has been artificially crafted by enchantments. Furthermore, if you're looking for missing loved ones, you'll no doubt spot them among the "test subjects" or servants. Good luck trying to snap the latter back to reality, though: their memories have been tightly sealed and it might take some work. One of the drawing rooms has been half curtained off and a woman at the door skittishly offers the curious an aphrodisiac-laden draught, though some might have accidentally had some already. Within, guests are draped over every surface in varying states of undress, though there are partitions up to allow for more privacy. What better way is there to spread the Cwyld and strengthen bonds than intimacy? ii. Midnight Show Things reach a fever pitch around midnight. Once more, Alder calls for everyone's attention. "There's one more thing. I know all of you are loyal, true believers- but everyone must be tested," he says, gesturing to several larger bodyguards, "and we have to protect ourselves. There are those who don't understand us and seek to undo our work. Therefore, we need to tie up loose ends." One by one, the least aggressive Cwyld-infected subjects are dragged from their cages and any remaining individuals are brought out, all restrained. One of the bodyguards is carrying a large ceremonial dagger, which he presses to the vampire at the front’s throat. "Rest assured, their deaths with not be in vain: we have learned much and they will make for the perfect offering to the beings who gave us the Cwyld's blessing!" The knife flashes, ready to cut already decaying flesh- - a blood-curdling scream echoes through the room and glass shatters as a Shade breaks free from its prison. It ploughs into the guests, howling with rage as it tears into anyone and everyone that stands in its way, and others soon follow. At some point during the chaos, Alder appears to realise that he’s been caught. He, along with his inner circle, set to work trying to cover up their actions, setting the basement floor alight and using magic to bring down supports to block doorways completely. If you want to gather evidence, it has to be now, else you can focus your efforts on a rescue mission or chasing the cult leader himself down.

[ ooc: More information about the event can be found on the plotting post along with comments for questions, and an IC vote concerning Alder's fate! ]

Comments

Rude | FFVIIR | Dragon | Infiltrator/Rescuer | OTA

[grandspark]

I. Cavorting Incognito

Getting in wasn't the hard part--thanks to Reno, he had an invitation--but maintaining his cool was, for once, very hard to do. While everyone else was cavorting about with party drinks and tittering over the prisoners, Rude was canvassing the area. He did it while pretending to be a guest, of course, carrying a half full glass of wine (that he had half emptied in a discreet corner for appearances sake but there was no way he was eating or drinking anything here) and walking slowly as if admiring all the festivities and infected test subjects. Thankfully, he was the king of stone-cold indifference and the fiery disgust in his eyes was hidden from view by his sunglasses.

He chuckled where appropriate and smirked at awful jokes when needed. He didn't have to like it to do it. That's what a Turk did. They got the job done no matter what it took. This wasn't even the worst thing he'd done in his lifetime.

At least he was here specifically to remove this problem rather than promote it. It felt good to move through the crowd knowing he was here to find someone and rescue them rather than kidnap them for a change, and he let that feeling encompass him as he pretended his intentions were otherwise. It helped him get through the first part of the night, imagining how he would gut-punch some of these smug assholes later in the evening while smiling at their cruelty as if it pleased him. It helped a lot.

II. Midnight Brawl

Rude's hand clenched tightly as he watched the beginning of sacrifices being made. It was really coming down to the wire. Thank fuck for the Shade that broke the hypnotic-like atmosphere and caused a ruckus for the infiltrators to finally snap out of it and start the rescue in earnest. The subtle parts of rescuing and whatnot weren't really Rude's forte--but this, the chaotic rush and bluntness of a full-on brawl. Well now. He excelled at this.

He didn't hold back. He was frustrated and angry at this cult for one very personal reason: they had fucked with his partner. No one messed with Reno and got away with it. No one.

His fists swung at the cultists with the pent-up rage and anger of a dragon scorned. Yeah, he wasn't holding back anything. Especially as he spotted one of them trying to make a last minute sacrifice of one of the still caged prisoners. Rude wasn't going to allow that.

A dagger flew threw the air and hit the cultist. The angle was off because Rude didn't want to risk hitting the prisoner but that just meant he got the pleasure of finishing him off with his fists. While the man was clutching his wound, Rude closed the space between them rapidly and sent a fiery fist into the man's face. He dropped hard, leaving Rude almost dissatisfied with how quick he went down, but the Turk had other concerns to deal with for the moment.

"Are you all right?" he asked the prisoner, uncertain if his concern would even register properly with the poor soul. Their perception was just so skewed from all the testing and brainwashing. Rude pitied them.

And to the nearest person not a cultist or a prisoner he called out, "Hey, you! Get this person some medical aid and help them get the hell out of here. Now!"

III. Gathering Evidence

It was a hard decision to make. Rude absolutely wanted to punish the man responsible for all this mess. The one that created and cultivated this sick cult. The person that deserved punishment above all else for what happened here. (For fucking with his beloved partner's head.) Rude wanted to pursue him--started to do just that even.

Except he knew how this sort of thing went. He hesitated when he noticed the signs of the fire down below. That wasn't good. There were people to rescue and evidence against the cult as a whole to procure. Punishing only one man for this fuck-up wouldn't be nearly as satisfying or useful in the long run as bringing down the majority of assholes in one fell swoop. It could destroy them entirely.

It was a hard decision to make, but Rude was a professional. He knew what his orders would have been if Tseng were here. The head of the Turks would have called him and Reno back to finish the bigger job at hand. Their precious resources couldn't be wasted on one man. He had to stay and help gather evidence.

So he did. With much frustration in his actions. As much as he loved fire now as a dragon, it annoyed him in this instance and he took out his frustrations on it most of all. He whipped his gigantic wings about as if to herd it with his wing beats, and spat extra-condensed earthen lava in carefully projected lines to create firebreaks. Fight fire with fire, right? Or fiery earth in this case.

All the while, he gathered up useful papers and items to use as damning evidence. One may not have thought it to look at him, but Rude was actually good at this part of the job, too. He was a part of the Investigative Division of General Affairs after all. People sometimes forgot Turks could do more than just silence protestors and terrorists.

IV. Wildcard

[[There's always other options! Hit me up with a prompt of your own or contact me at AisuYoukai for plotting if you prefer.]]