Event Log: July, A Song of the Sea

[faileas]

Event Log: July, A Song of the Sea

I. Now You Sea Me On the night of the 15th, all Mirrorbound will have the same strange dream. Like many dreams they’re subjected to, it feels very, very real. The ocean stretches far out on every side, the waves churning beneath your feet as you walk atop the water. The sky is gray and the air is thick with the pressure of an oncoming storm, making your hair stand on end every time lightning flashes high above in the dark clouds. In the distance you can see the whirlpool, frothing water sucking in everything that gets too close, including low-swooping birds and ships that try to skirt it. The Cwyld is here, and it feels as if it is here to stay. Maybe you’re trying to puzzle out where you find yourself with another Mirrorbound or maybe you’re alone, but suddenly you’re interrupted, a presence inserting itself between you, ancient but somehow friendly. You get the sense this person doesn’t want to harm you. He(?) (you think he’s a he, and he won’t put up a fuss either way, despite his androgyny) is tall, thin, and sun-tanned, with tousled blue hair and blue scales crawling up his exposed arms and legs, his torn shirt and shorts doing little to conceal them. His cerulean locks can’t conceal the tall, straight horns on his head either. His eyes are yellow and slitted like a reptile’s, and most will recognize immediately that this stranger is very draconic in nature. “Terrible, isn’t it?” The stranger says, his tone somehow mournful but casual at the same time. His clawed hand gestures to the whirlpool in the distance. “This is how the Cwyld spreads to other places, like Diasteros, through the sea. It sucks in life and it spits out Shades meant to spread the infection. I’ve been traveling for a long, long time, and it took me a while to find it. I think the Cwyldheart is down there, at the eye of the whirlpool below.” His words ring true, especially when he adds, “I think you woke it up! You’ve noticed the fish turning up in Aefenglom fishermen’s nets, right? All blackened and nasty and inedible? No, no, that’s not a bad thing, no one is accusing you-” His long, blue-scaled tail swishes across the frothing waves around your feet. “You’ll do something about it, though, right? After all, you’re a hero, right?” Yellow eyes fix on you expectantly, and you know then it’s going to be up to you and your fellow Mirrorbound. Maybe you feel the sense of challenge when he adds, “You’ll prove your courage, right? I knew you would! Well met!” Characters can interact in the dream with each other, and with Aindrias. Any questions your character would have for the water dragon, you can place in this thread and receive an OOC summary of his answer.

II. Taskmasters The Water Dragon, who introduces himself as Aindrias, gives three tasks in the dream, to prove your courage and willingness to fix what’s wrong with the world. No one can be forced to go, the dangers are very real after all, but it’s clear the things you’ll fetch on this little quest have a purpose. The dragon wants just as much as you to clear the Cwyld from the world. Anyone who seeks out Creia will be told (after enduring her thanks and delight that one of her siblings has finally turned up!) that her brother is a bit flighty, but he’s trustworthy, and he knows the sea as much as she knows the earth. So, will you prove your courage and fulfill the tasks given to you? a. Lightning in a Bottle A species of eel lives in the waters around Aefenglom’s coast, one that fishermen try to avoid due to the fact that they drain and channel the magic of Witches along their slippery skin, using it to defend themselves like electric eels. They can give quite the nasty shock when touched, and Monsters have an advantage in this task when it comes to dealing with the eels themselves, since the eels can’t drain them. Though, if you aren’t an aquatic Monster, such as an Undine or a Merrow, you’ll need Witch assistance to get down there. Witches can learn at the Coven how to enchant bottles to suck this stolen magic from the eels, and contain it within the glass, like literal lightning in a bottle. They can also learn to cast water-breathing enchantments, or transmute gills onto themselves and their fellows, so that they can go after the eels. Monsters can better withstand the shocks from the eels, and can’t be drained of their magic, but Witches are welcome to try as well. Just be careful! The eels are notoriously slippery and difficult to catch, slithering right through most fishing nets, since they’re able to compress and lengthen their bodies at will. The best way to catch them is to sneak up on a nest in the more still waters, bravely charge, and hope you can grab one or two with your hands or a fine-mesh butterfly net. Gather the eels’ stolen magic in the bottles. The more you can get, the better, the Water Dragon has assured everyone. b. Gifts from the Sea, Foricbly Obtained The other ingredients needed are fairly straightforward. Use your enchantments to breathe water, to have a bubble of air over your head like a diving helmet, or to temporarily transmute some gills, and venture out into the sea off the coasts of Aefenglom. The things you need here are all dangerous to obtain but not all that difficult to find. Teeth from huge, dangerous man-eating sharks, requiring you to straight up punch them in the noses in order to stun them and pull some of their chompers. Barnacles from the underbellies of whales that won’t hesitate to smack you away with their tails, or suck you into the belly of the beast like you’re nothing more than krill. Seaweed from fields of it infested with poisonous, spiky urchins that can turn invisible until they spear your flesh. Suction cups from the tentacles of strangling octopi. Many of these ingredients are interchangeable, they just have to be things from the sea, things you have to work to obtain. The more effort it takes to get something, the more potent a magical item it will prove to be, though large amounts of things that take less effort will work too, such as painstakingly gathered mussels from the coves or pearls from harmless oysters. c. Land and Sea While most of the ingredients needed to prove your mettle come from the sea, one particular ingredient comes from the land. Easier to gather now, what with the Underground people’s happy cooperation with Mirrorbound and the Coven, this ingredient is also the safest to gather, perfect for those who can’t subject themselves to the untold dangers of the sea. The last ingredient necessary for whatever Aindrias is helping the Mirrorbound create is... the Cwyld-eating moss from the Underground. He’s unsure if this will really work, but he thinks it will help, and his sister Creia trusts it, right? So, gather samples of the moss from the Underground, and seal it in opaque blackened glass containers to protect it from the light. You’ll need a lot, so it’s a good thing you all helped them so recently -- they never would have allowed you to take this much of the gray-green, swaying stuff before you eliminated the Cwyldheart deep in the earth.

III. Dive Into the Unknown Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients, Aindrias says, meet him out at sea, where the whirlpool looms on the horizon. The Diasterans will be happy to lend a ship and their sailing skills to help the Mirrorbound get out there, where the blue-haired humanoid form of the Water Dragon dances among the waves, gazing out at the gathering storm and the swirling, churning waters. The ship you stand on rocks and sways with the current, and the air feels thick and heavy, like your dream. Once there, he explains that the items you poured your blood, sweat and tears into obtaining can be combined with a touch of his own power into a magical bomb, one that he thinks will be capable of taking out the Cwyldheart below. Unfortunately, he cannot travel down into the depths alongside the Mirrorbound, so instead, he'll ask for volunteers, pouring sparks of his magic into bright little orbs like rainbow droplets of dew catching the sunlight and handing them out to those who answer yes to his question: "Will you dive beneath the waves and confront the Cwyldheart?" There’s just one catch. To get to the Cwyldheart, you have to be brave -- and fling yourself into the center of the whirlpool, to be sucked in like everything it has consumed, and he can’t guarantee you’ll make it out alive. Those courageous enough, heroic enough, gather your strength and your companions, cast your enchantments that will let you breathe underwater (Diasteran Witches are on hand to assist with this, offering magic charms to Monsters to maintain the spells deep under the sea, and can teach these spells to Mirrorbound Witches’ phylaxes, who will maintain the magic similarly), and… Dive into the unknown. To sign up your character for diving into the whirlpool, just leave a comment in this thread to make it easier to plot among yourselves and so mods can track who's taking the plunge! Those brave individuals may find themselves at a special advantage in finding and facing the final Cwyldheart next month...

IV. The Cwyldheart Below You fall. At first, the surface is turbulent, ice-cold, stinging like icicles piercing your skin. Then, there is dark -- and an eerie, all-encompassing silence, unnaturally cutting out the sounds of the raging sea and storm and your shipmates above. Hold on to your fellows; there's a long way to go, and you don't want to lose one another. Time and space feel slow and wrong, and it's impossible to tell whether you've been falling (or swimming downward?) for minutes or hours. Finally, through the impenetrable murkiness, shapes begin to loom up, strange and twisted. They look like mangled, reaching fingers at first, like the ocean floor putting forth dark tendrils to entangle you intruders, but once you get nearer and your eyes adjust to the cloudy gloom, you'll see the shapes are inert. It's the long-dead skeleton of a coral forest. And beyond it, in the distance, you can see the darkness pulsing like a beating heart -- the Cwyldheart, to be precise. Luckily, it seems any underwater-breathing enchantments hold, and gravity is strangely affected down here. It's possible to walk along the ocean floor or slowly swim (though running presents more difficulty through the resistance of the thick dark water). Watch out for the dangers hidden amidst the creepy coral outcrops as you make your way toward the Heart -- Shades of merrows, Undines, and all manner of twisted sea creatures patrol through the infected kelp and coral branches. They tend to gather in huge groups of mixed varieties, presenting an impressive obstacle once they notice the intrusion. If you're careful, quiet, and don't draw their attention with any sort of light or noise, you might just make it through without an encounter. If they do notice their territory is compromised, it's going to be difficult to flee. Stand (or swim) and fight, if you must… but it's not going to be easy, or quick. a. In the Belly of the Whale At the center of the dead sea-forest, there is a massive structure of what looks to be oily whale bones piled up, sharp and broken, twisted into a crude dome shape like an eerie analogy of a ribcage rising from the sand. Inside lies the Cwyldheart, an uneven, bulging mass of inky-veined gray blubber and rotten flesh, pumping steadily and churning the water around it. It's a viscerally disgusting thing, dead matter rotting in its core and pushing into the water with each twitch of its bulbous form, covering everything with a greasy film of death and disease. Now, the real work begins. Work together to combine the ingredients each of you brought along according to Aindrias's instructions, and most importantly, the orbs full of his magic. Each person carries a vital piece, but one alone can't do it: each piece must be placed inside the ribcage dome as close as possible to the Cwyldheart. Push through the choking weight of the murky water as close as you can; risking infection is inevitable, but some things are more important… right? According to the Water Dragon, once all the pieces of his magic are in place, he will know and activate the explosion -- and though some may have been skeptical, he holds true to his word. A many-sided voice rings out from the circle of magical orbs, warbling with distortion and distance. "Bravely done, my warriors," he commends, his laughter haunting in the dark but full of genuine joy. "Now... run!" b. Flee, Mateys As the magic-infused orbs activate, a ring of bright blue surrounding the inside of the dome pierces the darkness, blinding and harsh. It's the only warning before everything erupts in a cacophony of sound and light and pressure. Strong swimmers, grab your companions and go, fast as you can. Teleportation underwater has never been advisable, but maybe some particularly confident or panicky Witches want to try it. Whether you decide to stick together or flee in separate directions, you'll only have a few moments to make your choice before the force of the explosion shoves through the water, out and up. The ocean surges. The Cwyldheart bursts, the bits and pieces leftover of its ugly mass swallowed by the bright magic and burnt up in an instant into nothing. With tremendous force, the swirling whirlpool collapses into itself -- and then rushes up, seawater shooting up into a geyser that sprays high in the air. Those who couldn't get away from its circumference in time suddenly find themselves expelled from the sea in a quick and convenient(?) fashion, if likely a rather painful and unpleasant one. They'll also find themselves falling once again -- this time through the sky. c. Back on Dry Land This time, Aindrias's laughter rings light and amused through the air. Anyone hurtling down toward an unpleasant reunion with the ocean's surface will find themselves suddenly grabbed by strong (but gentle) talons, tossed up in the air again and told to "Hold on, little one!" as they land upon the blue-scaled back of an absolutely enormous dragon, whose long, serpentine body flows through the sky without the aid of wings but rather, giant fins that guide its course. The geyser water falls back down like heavy rain, and through it Aindrias swims gracefully in the air, quickly collecting all the falling heroes before they can hit the water. Knowing many of you brave warriors are injured and uncomfortable, the Dragon praises your efforts enthusiastically and does his charges the great favor of swiftly flying them all the way back to Aefenglom's shores -- where the stunned citizens watch and listen as Aindrias announces for all to hear, "Your Mirror folk are braver than I thought! They dove into the eye of the whirlpool and destroyed the Cwyldheart that plagued the ocean, spreading infection to other continents, and lately, making your fish inedible. A deed for the history books, I'd say!" Anyone who was able to flee before the explosion or make it back onto the ship will have far less trouble sailing back (though of course, it will take longer than flying) and are greeted with an absolutely delighted welcome by the local seafarers, who've already started seeing an improvement in their fishing haul. The ports are bustling again, and overjoyed Diasterans are just beginning to talk about returning to their home islands, armed with knowledge of the Cwyld and remedies for it taught to them by the Coven. Thanks to the Mirrorbound's efforts, with the destruction of the sea-faring Cwyldheart, the infection can be dealt with on other continents, on islands like theirs, and it won't come back with the tide.

Welcome to July's event, A Song of the Sea! This event marks the beginning of Aefenglom's endgame plot. For more information on that, please check out the OOC mod post detailing the rest of the game's run over here.

If you have questions specific to this event, please leave them in this thread here. For those signing their characters up to face the Sea Cwyldheart, please be aware that the mods may ask you to link your finished or ongoing threads before your character receives the boon for their participation (PMs will go out at the beginning of next month).

For plotting on the OOC comm, we've put up a little summary and post for you over here. And finally, as always, you are welcome to play in this log or set up your own logs in the comm as you prefer. Have fun!

Comments

IV

[exsoldier]

[ The trip down beneath the waves is a literal whirlwind, and while they've landed and Zack's now got the sea floor firmly beneath his boots, his head's still spinning to some degree. If it weren't for his general constitution and sturdiness, he's pretty sure he would have lost his lunch somewhere in there, but with each passing moment he manages to catch his breath and regain his bearings.

Yes, his breath. They can breathe down here, which is a trip in and of itself. Zack only hopes the magic that allows them to do so holds. He's similarly frustrated that Aindrias insists he couldn't come down here himself, that he even spurred him to action with a "you're a hero, right?" as if he wouldn't have done this job anyway, but that's neither here nor there.

They've made it this far, and the Cwyldheart looms far ahead of them, pulsing in the depths.

Zack catches sight of Ferran, noting his uneasiness. Not that he can be blamed for that, given where they are and what's ahead of them. That's not even touching on the fact that it feels like they're among the skeleton of some giant beast, even if that's not really the case. ]

You all right?

[ It's good to remind each other that they're in this together, to keep each other grounded. ]

[noblegarnet]

[The Fae's hands tighten around the handle of his knife, and the wary expression of dread he wears doesn't change even with his subdued, cynical response.]

Are any of us?

[Volunteering for a mission like this doesn't speak to the best state of mind either way, Ferran thinks. ... the answer is no.]

[exsoldier]

[ Man, coming right out the gate with something like that? Zack knows that this is not something a normal person would volunteer to do, even if to some extent it feels like business as usual for him. He didn't go rooting out massive living infections under the ocean back home, true, but he'd still signed up for a job that consisted of constantly putting himself in dangerous situations.

Zack shoots a glance at that knife, wondering how well Ferran knows how to use it. His own massive sword is sheathed against his back, between his wings. ]

Think we'll be better if we can pull this off. [ He turns his attention to the Cwyldheart in the distance. They've got a hike ahead of them before they're even close enough to put together the spell components, so he starts walking. ] If something comes after us, try to stay behind me, all right?

[noblegarnet]

[He's having a bad time, Zack.

It's certainly true that Ferran isn't emotionally or even necessarily mentally prepared for the task, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a few tricks up his sleeve. After all, he's been doing his damnedest to learn something useful since he got to this world. He lets out a breath, almost dismissive to the offered protection before heading forward alongside the Chimera.]

If something comes after us, they won't see me.

[He doesn't give any forewarning or indication he's using his Fae magic—in a blink he's become translucent, just visible enough for Zack to see but indistinct enough for a distant foe (hopefully) to mistake him for a shadow in the water. He'll strengthen the invisibility as needed, but it's enough for now.]

[exsoldier]

[ As soon as Ferran speaks those words, Zack glances back at him just in time to see the spell take hold. It causes Ferran to become almost see-through, and while it seems to be some kind of illusion rather than a change to his physical body, Zack can't quite mask his surprise.

He's learned by now that some monsters have more access to magic than others, with the puca being another example. It seems like the fae are the ones with the most magical ability, which makes sense.

For Zack, meanwhile, what he could do with Materia is just a memory by this point. It's a good thing he never relied on that. ]

That's even better. What about if you need to teleport us somewhere? You been practicing?

[ It's meant as some lighthearted ribbing, though Zack's not sure if Ferran will be in the mood for it. Either way, he continues to lead them forward, cutting what looks to be the quickest path through the maze of coral. ]

[noblegarnet]

[Although Ferran is far from a jovial mood himself, he doesn't hold it against Zack or respond irritably—which is a huge improvement over how he used to be. Instead, as he follows, he simply answers with the unfortunate truth:]

It doesn't work when the Cwyld's involved.

[Fae aren't all that useful in the face of the disease, illusions or no. Ferran mostly sees himself as another body being thrown at the problem, rather than someone appropriate for the task. That doesn't mean he isn't going to put effort into it, however; he's cautious as they advance, keeping his eyes and ears open for movement.]

[exsoldier]

[ Zack heaves out a sigh at that, shaking his head, though his frustration isn't with Ferran but with the nature of the infection itself and how it seems to cut them off at every turn. Still, his disappointment doesn't last long, as he presses forward with what seems to be renewed determination, a measured surety in his steps. ]

That's fine. We'll figure out our own way out of here.

[ If he has to kick his way all the way back up to the surface with his own power, then he'll do it.

However, that requires getting to the Cwyldheart first, and as they get closer, he catches dark shadows darting between the coral structures out of the corner of his eye. It's a good thing Ferran decided to cloak himself. Zack halts for a moment, wondering if he should press the attack or wait for the trap to be sprung. ]

... Let's not get distracted. If they want to pick a fight, I'll be ready.

[ To that end, he pulls his sword from his back and continues forward while carrying its bulk at his side. ]

[noblegarnet]

Right...

[Ferran has sighed that same sigh more times than he can count. Did other Fae have the same reaction to their limited abilities in the face of the Cwyld, he wonders? Or are they simply content to stay out of the mess their ancestors caused? Either way, that consideration won't help them much now—he has to focus on the surroundings.

He decides to swim further above to get a different angle of the situation, knife held probably too tightly. He intends to be just as ready as Zack, though perhaps in a different aspect: should he spot any Shades or other creatures that seem too interested in Zack, he'll mark them with a pointed illusion for as long as he can see them, making them much more visible against the dead structures. Sometimes you just have to make your own UI.]

[exsoldier]

[ Zack watches as Ferran swims his way further up, which isn't a bad idea at all. A good vantage point can make all the difference in a battle. Rather than follow him, though, Zack remains where he is, figuring he'll have much better luck fighting if he keeps his boots on the ground. He's been learning how to fight capably even with his new wings and tail, but trying to do all of that while also suspended in water just sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

So he continues forward, glancing up from time to time in hopes that he can at least catch a hint of where Ferran's situated himself. Sometimes the light refracts off of the glamour in just the right way for Zack to spot him, but for the most part the spell works extremely well.

What does happen is that other creatures down here seem to become much more visible. He spots a more or less human shape, but with a dolphin-like tail, which means it's probably some kind of Merrow that's been tainted by the source of the infection down here. Since Zack can see it so well, he's able to approach it while acting like he's none the wiser, yet he's ready with his sword held in front of him like a shield as soon as it pounces on him. ]

Not so fast!

[ He strikes out at the Shade, putting all of this strength into his attack as he slashes it across the chest. Blood doesn't spurt so much as bloom out into the water, but Ferran's magic is already paying off. ]

[noblegarnet]

[As different as the sight of blood is in water, it's no less unpleasant to Ferran; as much as he might like to think he's trained and had some experience with fighting, the only blood he's actually accustomed to seeing is his own. There's also the worry of infection, but he's accepted that as a given at this point.

If there's one thing his hopeless outlook has given him, it's the determination to keep going in the here and now. As unsettled as he is by everything, he continues weaving through the kelp and coral, this time circling around a little lower down to watch from a different angle. Thankfully the other creatures haven't gathered just yet, but the scent of blood in the water is bound to draw them sooner or later—unless he conceals it, he realizes.

His illusions aren't restricted to only sight, after all. Although his own senses aren't nearly as sensitive to things like that and he can't mask it perfectly as a result, it should serve to at least delay any swarms of infected until they've passed. With that done, he spots another creature that hasn't noticed him, close enough that he could approach, knife in hand...

... maybe he'll let Zack do most of the stabbing and slashing, though. He's more useful in the background, he's pretty sure.]

[exsoldier]

[ The blood that seeps out of the merrow Shade is clearly tainted, darker than it should be if Zack were to guess, and that's all he needs to see to know that he should press the attack. He's intimately aware by now with the different stages of Cwyld infection, and can therefore tell that this creature is far past the point of no return. That means the best thing he can do is put it out of its misery.

It's a grizzly job, the sort of thing that most might not have the stomach for, but this is what Zack was trained to do, for better or worse. If it means that Ferran doesn't have to get blood on his hands, he'll do whatever it takes.

Which is why he shoves his sword bodily into the Shade's chest before yanking it free, dealing a fatal blow that causes it to sink to the sea floor in a cloud of black blood. It's a good thing Ferran's doing his thing to mask the smell, because there's definitely a lot of it.

Not that Zack's aware of that just yet. He simply knows they need to wipe out these threats before they can move on to the real task at hand.

So he focuses on the next foe that he notices, giving a wide twirl of his sword in an arc up and over his head to capture its attention. This merrow, with mottled skin and sharp blackened teeth, swims toward him while brandishing a spear. Zack locks his knees and hold his sword up, preparing for impact. ]

[noblegarnet]

[He guesses he wasn't wrong when he said Zack's work was the messy kind. At least the cloud of blood that emerges helps to conceal the sight from Ferran so he doesn't dwell on it... for now.

Instead, he watches as the Chimera moves forward. While he's certain Zack is probably sturdy enough to defend against the next Shade's attacks, that doesn't mean he should have to, and depending on how many foes they'll have to make their way through, they might need all the stamina they can save. Despite the illusions he's already maintaining, it doesn't take that much more energy to manifest a brief flash of a second Zack darting to the side to distract the former Merrow, hopefully making its attack less direct...]

[exsoldier]

[ Right as Zack's preparing for the merrow to come at him, it suddenly darts to the side, swimming right past him. He blinks and then turns in time to see the hint of an image that looks exactly like him. Man, Ferran really is capable of a lot, and he's making this journey much easier and faster than it might otherwise be.

Zack gives a general salute to the water above him. He's not exactly clear on where Ferran is right now, but he's obviously in eyeshot, so that quiet thanks will have to do for now.

They need to keep moving, and so he pushes ahead, hoping they won't run into too many more obstacles before they reach the Cwyldheart. ]