August Event: The City is at War

[lifeaftr_mods]

AUGUST EVENT: THE CITY IS AT WAR

Who: Everyone!
What: You pick a side, or you pick up the pieces
When: August 16th to August 23rd
Where: Primarily Nastrandir, though also Ensō
Warnings: Violence, injury, forcibly altered mindsets via magical influence, possible character death. Potential (and fully optional) dissociation and identity crises. Potential (and fully optional) spontaneous combustion. Otherwise, tag as you go!

We All Lose in the End
On cue, the recently uncovered...and decidedly faulty merotome shatters on the morning of August 16th. Those close enough may recall an odd popping noise, like a lightbulb exploding, or find a shard of some odd, rubbery substance caught in their hair. The wave that shoots out across both islands barely seems to stir the air, but the aftershocks of its passing are to be felt for the week to come.

Whether or not you noticed the sweeping burst of light as it roared over just about everything, you're bound to hear the loud, wailing sound that starts to emit from all over Nastrandir. It sounds like the world's worst kind of alarm, and it just keeps on going. That's to say nothing of the automatons rising steadily from the murk, or the fact that you might find that some of your fellow explorers are suddenly seeming a lot more trustworthy...and some of them are seeming a lot less. Maybe you latch onto personal terrors and preexisting grudges to justify the new onset of violence that starts to divide you from some of your fellows...or maybe it just feels right in some unquantifiable sense.

Regardless, those impacted by the merotome will find themselves gravitating towards Nastrindar sooner rather than later. Members of the Red Team are likely to initially head towards the ruins on C4 and D4. The swampy water flooding the island will eventually drive you to seek out more mountainous areas; the need to keep dry will vary from a strong desire to an absolute necessity, depending on the individual. As territorial instincts rear their head, this group will find that the war automatons no longer view them as hostiles. Now, these mechanical killers may even take basic orders, such as watching a certain location, fetching some basic materials, and, of course, upon whom they should aim their primary fire.

Meanwhile, the Blue Team will congregate along the shorelines, striking out inland through any route that keeps them close to a body of water - or in it. More likely to travel and fight in a pair or group, it's unlikely that members of this group will stay from the main party for too long, as their power is largely in numbers. While no automatons accompany them into battle, the waters surrounding and soaking into Nastrandir are their greatest ally, as they are capable of replenishing strength and healing minor wounds. Members of the Blue Team will be capable of continuing the fight for much longer than their Red counterparts, and their affinity with the waters will make them difficult to locate or pursue unless they wish it.

You Don't Get Another Shot
For those more resistant to the effects of this sudden shift will find that they're now unfortunately adrift between two warring factions, potentially with friends on either side. There is hope, however - those previously silent sirens are now blaring constantly, and it's very possible that their destruction could turn the tide against this needless bloodshed. The more of those you break, the looser the grip of this altered mindset will become, and the less hostile the automatons will be. Keep in mind, however, that while you may feel unaffected, the possibility stands that you've been marked for one side without your knowledge. And though this may prove advantageous to getting through to those that identify you as their own, those that do not may take your attempts to shake their morale badly.

Even violently.

Stick Around and See How It Ends
Thus far, the teams are as follows. If you see any problems, inconsistencies, or wish to change teams, please don't hesitate to contact us! While we're no longer accepting sign-ups to be RNG'd into a team, you can still decide retroactively which side you'd like your character to be situated on, if at all!

RED TEAM	BLUE TEAM
Alexei Dinoia Amaterasu Anthony J. Crowley Asgore Dreemurr Connor Murphy Edward Elric Erika Fisher Jules Dagger Samari Leonard Church Muffet Tim Wright Yukio Okumura Zidane Tribal	2B Alisaie Leveilleur Agent Washington Ben Hargreeves The Drifter Epsilon Héctor Rivera Herbert West Horatio Nullbuilt Kravitz Legion Mollymauk Tealeaf Ren Rin Okumura Steve Rogers

---

In the meantime, the following links may prove handy:

[ ♆ ] OOC Event Info and Plotting Post
[ ♆ ] Nastrandir's Intro
[ ♆ ] Nastrandir's Locations Page

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] August 16th: The merotome breaks, issuing a mind-altering wave; the sirens go off, and definitive sides in a conflict start to form
[ ♆ ] August 23rd: The conflict ends when those who have not been freed from the mind-altering influence either break free or burn to death
[ ♆ ] August 24th: The monthly Storytelling occurs late; characters who have died are revived in time to participate
[ ♆ ] September 4th: Extra time is allotted to those participating in the monthly Storytelling to compensate for the later date, and the Storytelling closes

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[reflash]

All right. [Yukio says, relaxing just a bit as his confused mind sorts Ginko into an "ally" category instead of a danger.]

We were... looking for food and medicine. We'd fought off some caraliss, and then... slept. [Slept, and woken the next morning to... that wasn't Rin. The invaders had done something in the night.]

I... don't know what happened to him after that. That was a few days ago.

[onegreeneye]

[While Yukio explains, Ginko stoops down to retrieve his hammer and drop it back into his pack. He suspects continuing to break these things down in front of Yukio won't go over well, but he'd rather not, just, lose one of his few tools in a swamp.]

Alright... was he gone when you woke up? [That might make sense, especially if Rin got hit by these same effects.]

[reflash]

He... it wasn't him. [It looked like Rin. But it wasn't, it couldn't have been.]

There was an impostor, one of the invaders, but I chased him off. [It wasn't his brother. Yukio knows his brother, and that wasn't him.]

[onegreeneye]

[So there was... someone there who looked like Rin, but who Yukio is sure was not him.

That doesn't sound good.]

An impostor? What gave him away?

[Just make it sound like he believes him for the time being. Clearly, telling him outright that he's wrong isn't going to work here, so he'll just... work up to that.]

[reflash]

I know my brother. [He says, easily brushing that concern off.]

The impostor was good, but it wasn't him.

[onegreeneye]

What... did you do to chase him off?

[This is really, really worrying.]

[reflash]

I am armed. [Ginko can put the pieces together.

Yukio doesn't sound concerned at all. Why should he be? That wasn't his brother.]

[onegreeneye]

What-- [Well, there goes Ginko's streak for hiding his feelings on what Yukio is saying. He doesn't quite catch the horror and worry that flicker over his face at that.

That expression doesn't last long, but it definitely happens, just before he asks his next question.]

Yukio, what is this war over?

[reflash]

[He isn't facing Ginko, but with how many eyes he has he doesn't need to be. He sees that fear and thinks this isn't right.

But it feels right, just like it feels right to talk about this, to spit out the words between bared fangs.]

Those invaders are attacking us. We have to do whatever it takes to get them off our island before they destroy it. [That's what this is about, protecting his home and the people he cares about, not letting anyone take it from him. They have to keep Nastrandir safe, because it may be a hard place to live but it's home.]

If we can't shoot the bastards we'll have to come up with something else. We'll get rid of them, even if we have to burn half the island down to do it.

[onegreeneye]

Do you know why they're... invading?

[How much of this has he fabricated an explanation for? How thoroughly has whatever this is convinced him of what he's doing?

For that matter, how much of his conviction is coming from his own mind, and how much is straight from those sirens, or whatever else might be impacting his behavior?

Ginko kind of flinches at that. In his experience, handling problems by setting everything on fire doesn't tend to end well for any humans involved.] I wouldn't recommend that.

[reflash]

I wish I did. [He says, bitterly. This is his home, and those damned invaders keep clawing at it, dragging themselves out of the stinking water of the swamp.]

It's not like we'll get any information from them. We just have to get rid of them as soon as possible.

[onegreeneye]

Does that mean you've tried to get information from them?

[Also, shit. What is it about being attached to a piece of land that makes people so eager to set it on fire when it's being "invaded"?] And what would that leave you with? If you're trying to protect the island, burning it down seems pretty counter-intuitive.

[reflash]

[His tongue flicks out again, with a slow up-and-down movement to gather as much scent as possible. The magitech third eye set in his forehead swivels, broadcasting error messages directly to his brain as it tries to scan.

He's missing something. He knows there's something missing, some kind of data point he doesn't have.]

They're so closely aligned with... [he has a chart in his head, but it doesn't match what he's feeling] with water that it... [fire? Really? That doesn't make sense. Fire overcomes rot, not water. Water overcomes fire. So why...]

The fire... might... chase them away. [he can't say "will chase them away" because that doesn't make sense. But it feels right.]

[onegreeneye]

Wouldn't that only make it easier for them to avoid the fire?

[Really, he's not sure how much an affiliation with water makes a difference here one way or another - but, if it did, he's pretty sure it would be in this direction. Besides, if arguing with Yukio on his own terms is what it's going to take to find breaks in his logic...] You'd likely be doing more harm to yourselves than to them.

[reflash]

They'll... they'll run from it. [He tries. It feels right to say it. It's... probably right? It feels right, but it doesn't make sense, it doesn't fit, there's some kind of contradiction and he--]

I don't know! I don't know, it doesn't make any sense! [He's throwing a tantrum, he's yelling and confused like he's some kind of kid who can't make up his mind, who can't figure or something that should be so simple. But Ginko keeps asking and every answer that comes out of Yukio's mouth makes him feel like he's going to be sick.]

Just stop! Stop asking! I don't have the answer you want!

[onegreeneye]

[He hates doing this. Pushing and prodding, focusing in on points that Yukio clearly doesn't have an answer for - but if there's any chance of getting through to him, he feels like this has got to be the most likely way of doing it.

Ginko lifts his hands cautiously, not reaching for or trying to do anything in particular, just-- reacting.]

I'm sorry, Yukio - but you've got to think about why that is. You're being influenced here, by something else, that's why this all came out of nowhere.

[reflash]

I... [the words catch in his throat. He doesn't know what to say. Is he being influenced? Isn't this... this is his home, isn't it? The invaders are... didn't they all just get here?

He can't say anything, so he just shakes his head.]

[onegreeneye]

[Boy, he hopes this is progress and not the start of a breakdown.]

It's alright, okay? We've just got to figure out why this is happening, and put a stop to it.

[reflash]

[He shakes his head again, like that's going to clear out the thickness in his throat or the fog in his head. What does he say to this? What could he possibly do?]

[onegreeneye]

...We should try going to Enso. Maybe, if you're further away from this island, you'll be able to sort things out a little better.

[That's the best idea he's got, aside from going back to breaking the sirens. Just keep talking, get him away from the island if he can.]

[reflash]

No. [That's firm, he knows this much.]

I won't abandon Nastrandir. It's my-- [the word home catches in his throat, like it's a lie he's choking on.]

I can't just leave, not now. It's my responsibility.

[onegreeneye]

[Dammit. So much for that. Ginko's tail starts lashing back and forth, splashing slightly in the swamp muck.]

No, it isn't. Yukio, please listen to what I'm saying-- you are under no obligation to stay here. You probably shouldn't.

[reflash]

This isn't your decision to make. I don't even know you, I'm under no obligation to listen to you!

[onegreeneye]

[Ouch. Ginko's tail gives a final, startled splat against the surface of the water.

But he doesn't step off.]

No. You don't, and you're not - but you should seriously consider, Yukio, why you're so set on staying here. Did someone you do trust tell you to do this?

[reflash]

It... it's my job. I'm supposed to protect my brother, I'm supposed to protect everyone. [Who... who told him that? Why is it so hard to remember? Why can't he get his thoughts in order?

Do you want to protect your brother?]

Father Fujimoto told me that was my job. It's always been my responsibility. I can't just give it up.