❪ 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

[gekkajuu]

[Atsushi tries to follow the knife with his eyes, but he doesn't get much of a chance when Slaine grabs his face like that. Atsushi looks right back at him, a little wide-eyed. For a moment, the message seems to sink in - the emotions more than the words - but it's the words that make him protest in the end.]

You don't understand... I hurt people again. I always end up hurting people...

[He didn't even do anything all that terrible, but little things can trip a person up a lot, when combined with hypnosis. He lowers his eyes, even though he doesn't try to pull from Slaine's grasp.]

I wasn't even the tiger.

[terrantrash]

You think you're the only one who ends up hurting people? People hurt each other all the time.

_{[Hah, this is rich. The hypocrisy isn't exactly lost on Slaine but he can deal with his own inner demons at a later date. Right now Atsushi takes top priority. He's not really sure what he means, mentioning a tiger, but that's not important.]}

I ended up failing and hurting the most important person in my life...do you see me doing what you're doing right now?

[gekkajuu]

I'm sorry.

[To hear that, he means. There's a vague memory of Slaine mentioning dark things from his past, but it's been so hard to concentrate on thoughts and memories for so long now.]

This really helped, though. I'm finally feeling okay again. I'm just...

[His head still hurts, somehow, but that's not the worst of it. He hasn't been eating, and he's lost a lot of blood.]

I'm tired. Do you think it would be okay if I slept for a while?

[terrantrash]

You can't sleep yet. If you fall asleep in the state you're in you might not wake back up.

_{[Which is Slaine's fear. He needs to bandage up the wound as best he can before Atsushi bleeds out even more. There's not much he has on him to even do such a thing, and so he takes off his jacket to pull off his undershirt, only to put the jacket back on once more. It's not exactly the most sanitary method and the wound will need proper cleaning and dressing once it's possible to do so...but he doesn't have that kind of luxury right now.]}

Stay there for a moment, okay? Hold your arm up and press it against your chest.

_{[The knife he'd kicked away is retrieved as Slaine makes quick work on tearing his shirt up into strips. Once he's done he returns to Atsushi's side, demanding he give him his arm.]}

Hold still while I wrap this, okay?

[gekkajuu]

[Atsushi does as he's told, but only because it makes sense to, and because it's always easiest. It's strange to see Slain hurry about like this; Atsushi really doesn't understand it.]

... You don't have to, you know.

[He sticks his arm out as requested, but he really feels bad making Slaine go through all this effort, especially when -]

I can just heal myself.

[Of course, he could have said that before Slaine ruined his shirt. But where's the fun in that?
To be fair: there is also a practical complication.]

Just. Not since coming here...[Hmm.] I haven't been able to use the tiger ever since, either.

[terrantrash]

Atsushi...I don't know what you're talking about.

_{[You think you're tired buddy? So is Slaine. Make this easy for him, please? He's already a nervous wreck, even if he's managing to hold himself together rather well.]}

I don't know what sort of healing ability you have, but right now, like you said, it's not working. When we get out of here, you can try and heal it and you can sleep...but for now I need you to stay awake please.

[gekkajuu]

[Poor Slaine. He really doesn't understand Atsushi, and Atsushi doesn't understand him. But at least they've having a conversation, and nobody's trying to kill anybody... much.]

... Okay.

[Quietly, he lets Slaine bandage him up, glancing over his shoulder at the door. It still doesn't feel right, to go through there... but it's wide open, and that makes it less terrifying, for some reason, than it was before.]

[terrantrash]

<sub>[He really doesn't, but surely they'll come to understand each other much better in the future. For now all Slaine can do is focus on wrapping up Atsuhi's arm. It doesn't take too long to accomplish, and once he's finished he lets out a sigh, taking a moment for himself before willing himself to stand.

Gingerly he holds out a hand. If Atsushi wants to take it, it's there.]</sub>

Let's get out of here...can you walk?

[gekkajuu]

[The reply is slow to come, even if it's what Atsushi wanted to say from the start. He can't seem to help thinking it over, first, and thinking isn't going very fast right now.]

... Yes.

[He takes Slaine's hand and stands, ready to walk through that door... but he doesn't make it. The closer he comes, the more nervous he gets. At first, he just squeezes Slaine's hand more tightly; then, he stops walking altogether.]

I can't... The door, it's -...

[It's definitely not as scary as it was before, and he isn't getting nauseous like before, either. But the hypnosis has left harsh track marks in his brain, and even without much energy to get frightened, Atsushi can't ignore them completely.]

[terrantrash]

_{[It's obvious to Slaine that the closer they draw toward the threshold, the more anxious Atsushi becomes. He's not sure what's gone on while Atsushi's found himself locked away here...but whatever happened to him hadn't been good. It's the kind of anxiety Slaine can relate to and so instead of mocking him for it or saying something short, he moves to step in front of him, taking his other hand so he can hold both, one hand in each of his own.]}

It's okay, Atsushi.

_{[Or at least, he wants to believe it's okay. He can fake it for now.]}

Close your eyes and I'll guide you out of here.

[gekkajuu]

[Atsushi lets out a shaky breath, but then he nods, squeezing his eyes shut. His grip on Slaine's hands tightens - he just can't risk letting go - but he doesn't put up any resistance anymore. The nausea threatens to return, if only for the uncertainty of where the door may be (or maybe it's the blood loss?), but Atsushi focuses on breathing, and on feeling Slaine guide him, and somehow that gets him through.]

[terrantrash]

_{[Really, Slaine gets it. He can sympathize with the way Atsushi feels right now, which is why he's determined to get him out of here and somewhere safe. The tightened grip is returned with a squeeze as Slaine guides Atsushi out the door and down the corridor. He makes sure to keep an eye out for anyone who might be coming their way (and carefully avoid the corpse of one of the kidnappers he'd killed...) until they're in a safer part of the Sanctuary.]}

You did it Atsushi, you can open your eyes now.

_{[Slaine doesn't let go though of his hands. He won't do so unless Atsushi wants to.]}

[gekkajuu]

[Atsushi definitely isn't letting go of the hands that saved him just yet, but he opens his eyes as instructed, and looks around. The Sanctuary... Well, he knew that much, but seeing this part of it feels so... normal? It's almost as if he was stuck in a pocket dimension, before.]

We made it...