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

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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

[flashover]

Ok! I will! But you have to put your gun down... Ok? Please. We can talk about this...! Like the time you split in two in Shabon, remember? [Please remember]

[reflash]

[He shoots again, aimed at where he thinks he can see some part of the invader sticking out from behind the tree (his vision blurs, but he can lean on his own tree, keep the gun braced in the fork, and he's fine, he can't do this)]

You're running out of time. [Don't make him come over there.]

[flashover]

[Rin grits his teeth. This isn't working. He doesn't know what else to say, if invoking their father and Shabon didn't work....] Why am I running out of time?! Please Yukio, you have to remember! Remember all the times at the Carnival! Remember Shiemi! I can prove it to you! I can prove I'm really Rin!

[how the hell is he going to get close enough to put the ring on him...? he has to incapacitate him somehow...]

[reflash]

[The invader keeps yelling, like his words mean something, but they don't. How could they? There's nothing worth listening to here.]

You've been hiding long enough. Show yourself.

[flashover]

[It's not working. Words weren't tugging at his memory enough. Rin grimaces, taking a few steadying breaths. If talking won't work... Rin will have to show him, won't he?

But he won't hurt his brother. No matter what's wrong with him, no matter what kind of mind control he was under, he can't bring himself to hurt Yukio.

He steels himself. Then, a flash of blue cuts through the tree, like it was made of paper. The tree falls, and reveals Rin standing there, his Demon's heart flaming brilliantly in front of his chest. Brilliant white scales line his arms and legs, and blue flames wreathe him, forming a strange halo over his ignited horns. Kurikara burns brightly at his side, but he sheathes it, holding his hands out, empty]

See, Yukio?! This isn't a trick! This isn't an illusion! There's no one else in the whole wide world like me! You have to see... you have to remember!

[reflash]

[Yukio holsters his gun and steps out from behind the tree. He doesn't recognize the person in front of him. Or... he does, but in the way you recognize someone you've had classes with, or a drawing of a plant in a materia medica. Recognition, but not familiarity.

It looks like... someone... his brother, wasn't it? He had one of those. He used to. He doesn't have anyone anymore. The invaders are even trying to take his home from him.]

You're an enemy. [He says, summoning his knife to his hand.

But he's bracing himself against the tree with his other hand, skin gone a lot more blue than it normally is, breathing shallow and rapid. His expression is unfocused and vague, and even with the trees support he's swaying slightly.]

[flashover]

[God. He looks awful. Something is really wrong -- whatever the sirens are doing is not only taking its toll on Yukio's mind, but his body as well. It tugs at his heart. But he has to stay strong. He walks slowly toward Yukio, his hands up in the universal gesture of peace]

I know. I know you believe we're enemies. But I don't want to be your enemy, Yukio. I come in peace! I just... I want to give you something. A ring. A peace offering. Would that be ok? Look, see! [Rin turns the ring on his finger, so Yukio can see it, glowing in time with the sirens' wail] Just a gift.

[reflash]

If you wanted peace you wouldn't be here! [That gets an emotion from him, but it's just anger, the snarl of words through bared fangs, and he throws his knife.]

[flashover]

[telling him the truth didn't get him anywhere... maybe if he plays along with this madness, he can get close enough to slip the ring on his finger...

Rin anticipates the knife this time, and he could grab it out of the air, or move out of the way. But instead, he lets it embed in his shoulder with a "thuck". He grimaces, but keeps walking, slowly, forward]

Come on! Look at me! I'm a fire elemental. I don't want to be with the water people! That's why... I want to make peace with you. I don't belong with them. Maybe I can belong with you guys instead...? I don't even know much about their 'plan'... but I can tell you what I know.

[reflash]

No one cares what element you're affiliated with, invader.

[He pulls the knife back, and throws it again. His aim's off, because he's weak, because it's so hot, but he's clearly trying to hit a fatal spot.]

[flashover]

I just got dragged here! I didn't want to come! [this time, the knife just whizzes on by, missing its mark completely. Something really was wrong... Yukio's aim was usually impeccable. He's getting closer, now. He holds out his hand with the ring]

See? It's fine. Just take it off my finger.

[reflash]

[It's too much, he's so hot, and even the slight exertion sends his temperature even higher. His vision swims, and he grits his teeth against a wave of nausea. He summons the knife back to his hand.]

I won't accept some stupid bribe! If you don't want to be one of them, then leave. Get off our island.

[flashover]

[up close, it's even worse. He can feel the heat roiling off of Yukio, even through his own flames. His plan with the ring is temporarily forgotten in his worry for his brother. Rin isn't a medical person, but Yukio himself once told him that a fever could be deadly if it goes on too long]

I can't leave, not without you, Yukio. Please. Let me... let me cool you down, at least a little. [magic comes easy to him with his Heart exposed like this. The flames around one hand change to wisps of icy air, blissfully cold, and he reaches out, tentatively, to lay the cooling hand on Yukio's chest]

[reflash]

Don't touch me!

[The invader reaches out, with a power he wasn't expecting, and that anger transforms into the raw panic that's always lingering right behind it. This is a fight, a war, and he let the enemy get too close.

Throwing knives aren't made for hand-to-hand combat, but that doesn't matter. He stabs the invader right in its (the Heart is a demon's main weakness) heart in a desperate, unpracticed movement.]

cw: IMMOLATION :)

[flashover]

[Rin gasps. The blade isn't magic, or iron, or anything special. But it doesn't have to be -- an exposed Demon's heart is as vulnerable as its more mundane counterpart. He stumbles back, confused, stunned by the betrayal.

But maybe he shouldn't be. Maybe he should have expected this. Yukio... he'd always been looking for an excuse to get rid of Rin, hadn't he? To be rid of his twin once and for all. Rin holds his hand to the Heart, looking down and watching it spurt out sulfuric-blue lava like blood. It hisses and sputters as it hits the damp ground.

It hurts. It hurts so much. Has anything ever hurt like this before...?

The same blue lava begins dribbling out of his mouth, his ears, his nose... his eyes. Like molten tears in his eyes.

Then, all at once, the flames around him go out of control, Rin turning into a pillar of raging blue flame. His clothes, his skin, his flesh all burn away, consumed by brilliant blue flame from the inside out. The flames pour from his eyes and mouth, and his screaming doesn't last long, as his vocal chords are consumed. The injured Heart extinguishes... and takes the flames with it.

There's naught left but a charred, smoking skeleton, mouth agape and limbs contorted in torment, glowing like old embers in an ethereal fireplace.]

[reflash]

[It's hot. It's too hot, and he steps back to watch the invader burn.

Once he's satisfied that it's dead, he turns and leaves. The corpse burns out and disintegrates into the mud.]