❪ march event log: taken! ❫

[natha]

CW: This event log will contain descriptions and threads involving extreme violence, torture, and possible death. While we do not intend to push beyond any boundaries indicated in sign ups, players may opt out of any aspect of their group write-ups that they find uncomfortable. Characters who have been assigned a role for this month's plot will find specific information about their groups and locations in headers below. We encourage that you thread among your groups within these headers, and as a reminder, only characters with plot roles may participate in rescue threads or hostage situations. All characters, however, are welcome to toplevel and tag in this log. To receive special commendation and be recognized as heroes in a future post, hostages and rescuers must submit a short summary of their event participation HERE by March 24th. OVERVIEW     While the riots and fanatic celebrating in Olympia and Wyver have subsided, neither city is naive enough to believe that life has yet returned to normal. There remains a tension among the citizens: not the slow simmer waiting to boil over that had preceded the aforementioned events, but an apprehension and fear that, despite the Royal Guard and Knightryder’s best efforts, the worst is yet to come. In Olympia, as night falls on the 18th, their fears are proven true. With their previous attempts at revolution through the riots having fallen short, the anti-Simwe radicals in Olympia carry out a more covert operation in their efforts to seize power. Having compiled a list of persons of interest, observed them, gathered intel and taken efforts to ensure that their movements will not be tracked, the radicals strike on the night of the 18th. The entire operation is discrete, and one by one people go missing from streets, homes, and businesses. News that the kidnappings were a large scale operation doesn’t break in Olympia until the following day, but whispers have already travelled to a similar group of radicals in Wyver, who, fearing what a political coup in Olympia would mean for Wyver—or, more specifically how this could affect their chances to stage their own coup should Shanrian choose to step in—launch their own gambit for power with a similar scheme in the early hours of the 19th before dawn. Many are taken straight from their homes, or on their way to work. For all their historical tension and division, Olympia and Wyver aren’t that different once the authorities become aware of what has happened. Both cities remain on the alert. In Olympia, Simwe orders immediate action from the Royal Guard, eager to win over the loyalty of her citizens by showing her commitment to freeing the hostages, while in Wyver, Shanrian is equally quick to take action with the Knightryders. The Altar of Volkkra is one of the most sacred institutions in Wyver, and the threat of the radicals drawing followers using its banner is too great to ignore. ABDUCTIONS AND THE SEARCH     1. Radical groups in both cities have decided that certain citizens of their respective cities would prove to be valuable hostages. Perhaps you've been traveling between cities. Or maybe you've drawn their attention by being outspoken, excelling at your city job, or being an active citizen with a great reputation. What were you doing before you got snatched up? Did someone attempt to stop this terrible thing from happening, to no avail? Did you put up a valiant fight? Regardless of how it happened, you will be forcibly outfitted with an accessory that renders you completely powerless. The extremists are no strangers to magic, either. 2. Those that didn't sign up can still witness characters being abducted and attempt to stop it, though in the end they'll fail to stop the radicals. Characters who either witness these kidnappings or notice the absences can spread the word via missing persons posters, making calls to action, or embarking on searches. Characters that would ICly look for hostages but did not sign-up for the event can still go investigate, but will ultimately not find any kidnappers. All characters may also conduct investigations in locations not included in the clues. 3. With key figures around the cities abducted, several shops and organizations are left stressed and short-staffed. Characters may find themselves working long hours, and can volunteer to help the Guard/Nightryders as they're stretched thin, as well as other key locations such as the Institute, the Fields of the Exalted, etc. There are also children, elderly people, and pets who have been left without care, due to their guardians being kidnapped. Everyone is asked to lend a helping hand. TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS     1. As rescues take place, extremists will be fleeing the following locations: Simwe Institute, the Sanctuary, and the Royal Guard Academy for Olympia, and a cave high on Namarak Mountain, or an island tower off the coastline for Wyver. Characters that did not sign-up can still catch and round up fleeing radicals as hostages are rescued, with additional details on what the extremists in a particular region are capable of in the group details below. 2. Hostages, both NPC and PC, will be gradually found and recovered between March 18th to the 24th. With how harrowing the experience is, rescuers and abductees alike may require medical attention and a helping hand. Perhaps you hope to support them with a shoulder to lean on, or by being there on Natha Station when any dead awake. Either way, the extremists may be defeated, but morale across both cities has taken a hit. 3. Healing doesn't always mean taking care of just the physical harm. Affected people in the cities, both PCs and NPCs, may have significant emotional scars from their experience. These are much harder to heal, and may not be going away anytime soon, but the people are doing their best to provide happy distractions to those who were taken hostage. Acts of kindness are encouraged and appreciated. Perhaps you can cook a few meals to take a burden off their shoulders, organize a fundraiser to help with relief efforts, or read a book to someone in recovery. A little bit of your time may go a long way. FINAL OOC NOTES     Once again, hostages and rescuers may find detailed info on their scenarios in subheaders below. These may also be used as top levels for each group! Additionally, all characters, including those that did not sign up, are welcome to toplevel in this log. For characters that are dying, please be sure to review the FAQ on death! We've updated it to provide more details for everyone this event. Don't forget to submit a summary of your event participation to guide our plot forward and earn influence with the NPCs! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

aftermath

[seeingscarlet]

[There's no time to fuss, no time to worry as long as people can still move. She has to get everyone out. Wanda's too on edge, desperately trying to maintain her psychic barriers in the face of so much suffering. It's only once they're back onto the streets and several blocks away that she finally starts to calm down.

Steve wasn't there. Damn. But there are a few faces she recognizes, and she carefully approaches Emma with a small waterskin. She wishes she'd brought more, but she couldn't afford to be weighed down with supplies.]

Here. You look like you need it.

[sheriffing]

[ the distance doesn't get them far enough, even with everyone moving as quickly as they can to get to safety. she's still stuck in the haze of being in that room, of staring at the door and trying to fight her way over, only to face the brutal brainwashing from their captors until she couldn't tell them apart from their rescuers.

it hurts to think that she made things worse for the people around her instead of helping, but those are thoughts Emma pushes down as she accepts the waterskin and takes a sip.] Thank you. [ she hands it back to Wanda after a moment, knowing everyone probably looks like they need it.]

How bad is it? Not just here - everywhere.

[ she's been trying to piece together what's happening, and all she knows for sure is that there's more to it than the group she was a part of.]

[seeingscarlet]

[Wanda bites her lip, unsure how much to divulge so soon after the rescue. But it's already really, really bad, she is the only Avenger accounted for, and and it's very hard to imagine any ways this could possibly get worse.]

It is-- bad. I'm glad we found you before it got worse. [Peter. She can't get his face out of her mind. Ten more seconds and she could have snapped him out of it before...]

People are missing in Wyver too. We've split up to search, but a lot of people are still missing. And I think now I understand how they were able to take so many people without a struggle.

[sheriffing]

[ Peter. the sweet kid who'd tried to keep her going. if they won't take her help here, she might spend some time at thesa station. she needs to understand all of this, and right now, she doesn't.]

Whatever abilities they're working with were stronger than mine. The first thing they did was block my magic.

[ it's not blocked anymore, but she can't say she's in the right mind to use it, either.]

What can I do?

[seeingscarlet]

We need to get you food and check your injuries. After that...I want to make sure your mind is all right after what they did.

And then you need to rest.

[And only then, if she's feeling up to helping, will Wanda not protest. There's no point in Emma running herself into the ground, especially if she just gets captured again.]

[sheriffing]

But I can help, this is what I do.

[ and ever since they took her, she's only felt helpless. Wanda isn't wrong, she's starving and she's sore and still shaken from the experience, but rest? how the hell is she supposed to rest after what she's been through?

there are others missing, she can't rest now.]

[seeingscarlet]

And how do you know they haven't given you a trigger? You could get into even more trouble.

[Or hurt someone else, but she doesn't say it.]

We need to make sure you're all right and have your strength back first.

[sheriffing]

I -

[ she hadn't thought of that, and the possibility reminds her that she's not as useful as she'd like to be. as much as she wants to push past this, she can't risk hurting anyone else.]

Yeah, I just... I feel...

[ like nothing's going to make up for how she fell apart back there.]

[seeingscarlet]

I know. But you have to take care of yourself before you can help everyone else.

[She knows all about feeling useless and guilty. At least they're out of danger now, but unfortunately the obvious fall back point was the source of the problem.]

Come on. We can stop for food or I can take you home. We didn't have much of a plan after the rescue.

[sheriffing]

That's a dumb rule.

[ it's the right one, it's just a little hard to take when she'd been turned against everyone like that.]

Home is fine. I have food, and it's easier than being out looking like this.

[ people who see will notice the bruises first, and she'd rather spare herself the looks of pity right now.]

[seeingscarlet]

[Wanda grins, and this time it's not forced.] Only until you need to use it on someone else. Now let's get you home.

[If she finds anything actually concerning...well, they can deal with that later. There's no point in frightening anyone if it's just a precaution, and Wanda doesn't want to broadcast those powers to everyone. It doesn't look like most of the others in the group are the type to try to go running back into danger anyway.]

[sheriffing]

Thanks, Wanda.

[ and while that might've been a more deadpan response any other time, right now, it's sincere. she's not good at accepting help, and knowing other people are in trouble makes it hard for her to do anything that would give herself some time to heal. it helps hearing that she needs to, even if she'd rather not.]

If there's a trigger, can you... get rid of it?

[ it feels like it wouldn't be as easy as that.]

[seeingscarlet]

I...I don't know. I think so? But I have never tried before.

[It's not exactly something she's ever had the opportunity to work on before, although Wanda's sure if she gave it her full attention she could tell that there was a problem. Technically she should be able to undo it...Wanda's just not sure what that would feel like.]

I was able to break their hypnosis.

[sheriffing]

Their hypnosis was powerful. It started with us not being able to make it to the door, and it only got worse from there.

[ if Wanda is willing to look, Emma's willing to test it out. she doesn't want to walk around still a weapon working for the enemy. even if it doesn't work, she has to feel like she's done everything she can to free herself of their hold on her.]

I've never felt anything like it.

[seeingscarlet]

I've never seen it work like that. They just told you not to go to the door?

[No special items she could find on any of them, no extra Presence that would alert her to a greater power at work. Still, when they'd tried to use it on her, it hadn't gone so well for them. Whatever the Mind Stone did to her, it seems to protect her from that kind of mental tampering.]

[sheriffing]

That's the thing, I don't even remember them telling us. When we woke up, we were in that room. Anytime I thought about going for the door, I was terrified. It was overwhelming enough that some of us could barely stay conscious if we got too close.

[ she doesn't remember what they did, but something happened after they grabbed her. and after that, they kept it up with the interrogation and the brainwashing.]

[seeingscarlet]

I wonder if they told you to forget...

[Mind wiping. Strucker had theorized that should also be in her power, but Wanda's never wanted to know if she could. The thought is just too unsettling.]

I'll look as soon as we get home, all right?

[sheriffing]

Wouldn't surprise me. At this point, nothing would.

[ there's a sad echo of resignation in her words, because she's realized now that these people are capable of anything. they want their war and they'll tear apart the entire world to get it.

she sighs, scrubbing a hand over her face.]

I'd appreciate it. I just wish I had some idea of what you're going to find.

[seeingscarlet]

Just try to think of something else until then. Worrying is not going to make your house closer.

[A tall order, all things considered, and Wanda knows it. But all she has to offer now are small comforts.]

You don't feel...I can't see anything loud and obvious.

[sheriffing]

Would it be loud and obvious? They seem like they're pretty good at this.

[ good enough to overpower a group of people who had their own abilities to try to defend themselves with. it makes her wonder what the next wave of the plan would have been if the rescuers hadn't found them.]

They blocked our abilities, they brainwashed us... That's a lot of power they're working with.